Dagestani mixed martial artist Marif Piraev reportedly received the summons to join the military and go to war. This was revealed in an instagram live stream of Shamil Gamilov, another mixed martial artist.
“Marif received a summons, he fled Russia in horror,” Galimov said during a Q & A session on Instagram Live.
Piraev is the former AMC Fight Nights champion. He opted to leave the country subsequently crossing the border into Georgia.
On Sep. 21 a “partial mobilization” was announced to the dismay of the usually stoic public. This is the first mobilization since the second world war.
Protests broke out in the country indicating that initial explanation of drafting men with previous military experience is nothing but an attempt to placate the public.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, a former UFC lightweight champion, voiced his displeasure writing in an Instagram post.
“But we are not ready ….”
The caption was accompanied with a photo of a graveyard.
Born in Dagestan and now a refugee in the UK, Muhammad Mokaev responded to the suffering of his people with a long post that read:
“As salaam aleikum! A very bad situation is happening in Dagestan, you oppress your own people, it is clear that you have an order to stop the rally, but you can do without pulling women and shooting in the air. If you are going to be taken away tomorrow, your women will stand up for you as well.”
“Do your job carefully without stressing your own people, tomorrow you do not know what the situation will be in your homes! In Dagestan, people have so small salaries, men earn as much as they can, and they are taken away to fight… understand your own people, at least women! Give patience to all the people of the Caucasus in this difficult time! New Year’s Eve at #Дaгестан #Кавказ”
[Translated]
UFC lightweight contender Magomed Mustafaev and PFL welterweight competitor Magomed Umalatov have joined the move and voiced their opposition in a series of posts posted on their Instagram accounts.
The caption for Mustafaev said:
“May Allah humiliate all the supresors.”
The caption of Umalatov said:
“May the Almighty humiliate all opressors.”
This is the first serious sign of the public’s dismay over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. One voice that still supports the campaign is Chechen UFC star Khamzat Chimaev who instead posted pictures of Chechen leaders on his social media.