President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced “partial” mobilisation.
According to president Putin, only citizens who are currently in reserve and above all those who have had military skills or served in the armed forces, have certain military specialisation and relevant experience will be subject to conscription for military service.
Those called up for military service before being sent to units will undergo additional military training without fail, taking into account the special military operations.
“I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the Defence Ministry and of the General Staff to conduct partial mobilization in the Russian Federation,” Putin said during a televised address to the nation, adding that a relevant decree has already been signed.
Putin said that Russia will use all available means to protect its territory, accusing the West of seeking to “destroy” the country.
“When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. This is not a bluff,” Putin said in a televised address to the nation, adding that the West aims to “weaken, divide and ultimately destroy our country.
”Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday that Russia would mobilize 300,000 reservists after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization over the conflict in Ukraine.“Three hundred thousand reservists will be called up,” Shoigu said on state television, noting that this is only a fraction of Russia’s troops available to be called up.
Russia has up to 2.5 million strong reservists and can mobilise up to 25 million from the population. This means that 300000 mobilisation is just a fraction of what Russia can mobilise if the need arises.
This mobilisation will give Russia a big advantage on the ground in eastern Ukraine because even if these 300000 strong don’t fight, they help to defend liberated territories which flees other forces to continue frontline combat.
This mobilisation is a big headache to NATO and Ukraine because Ukraine military was straggling to defend smaller Russian forces so you don’t what know how this mobilisation will change things on the ground.
To say that this mobilisation will not affect the situation on the ground is understatement since the situation is already changing due to recent announcement of referendum in liberated territories.
This referendum shows how those organizing it are sure of defence and security during the election period and after referendum, rules of the game may change as Ukraine soldiers attacking any of these territories will be equal to attacking Russia.
