Russia: Government rally to be held in Moscow Sept. 30

Event

Authorities in Moscow have implemented extensive road closures in the city center Sept. 30 ahead of a government rally in Red Square scheduled to commence at 15:00. According to a statement by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the road closures have been implemented ahead of a ceremony and rally to mark Russia's incorporation of the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine into Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Moscow-appointed governors of the respective regions will likely attend the event. Tight security is highly likely.

Affected roads include Ilyinka, Bolotnaya, and Moskvoretskaya streets, as well as the Kremlin, Kadashevskaya, and Moskvoretskaya embankments, Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, Vasilevskiy Spusk Square, and Maly Kamenny Bridge. Several other minor roads in the area will also be closed.

Protests denouncing the annexation, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the partial mobilization of military reservists, are highly likely through the late afternoon and evening of Sept. 30. Muslim activist groups in Russia have called for protests after Friday prayers outside mosques on Sept. 30 denouncing the war, mobilization, and the high rate of attrition among Muslim soldiers. In Moscow, Muslim activists will gather outside the Historical Mosque on Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street and possibly elsewhere. Any demonstrations that materialize will likely be met by a large police presence. Russian police have a history of moving quickly and forcibly to disperse demonstrations against government policies; mass arrests may occur.

Advice

Allow extra time for travel in central Moscow on Sept. 30. Heed all security and traffic advisories. Avoid all protests as a routine security precaution. Follow local travel and security advice. In the event of violence, withdraw from the area and seek refuge.