today there is no need for additional mobilization – Kommersant

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that, according to the reports of the Ministry of Defense, there is no need for additional mobilization now. According to the head of state, he is following the public discussion on this topic, but he believes that in the current situation on the front line, new waves of mobilization are not needed.

“Is additional mobilization necessary? I don’t follow this closely, but some public figures say that we urgently need to raise another million, two million. It depends on what we want. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, we had almost 5 million in the armed forces. It depends on the goal,” Mr. Putin said during a meeting with war correspondents.

The head of state noted that all decisions of the authorities in the context of the military operation in Ukraine, including those related to mobilization, would be made solely on the basis of the situation on the battlefield. “Our troops were near Kyiv. Do we need to go back or not? I am asking a rhetorical question, it is clear that you have no answer to it. I can only answer it myself. But depending on what goals we set for ourselves, we must decide on the issue of mobilization. Well, there is no such need today,” the Russian president added.

According to Mr. Putin, there are no plans to involve conscripts in the military operation in Ukraine at the moment, at present the Russian army has enough contract soldiers and volunteers to carry out all combat missions: since January, 150 thousand people have been recruited for service under the contract, along with volunteers – 156 thousand people. The President clarified that conscripts are working to protect the border in the Russian border regions (Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk regions).

Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization on September 21, 2022, on October 31 he announced its completion, but did not sign a separate decree on this. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that 300 thousand people were drafted into the army during this time. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported that after the implementation of the partial mobilization plan, the military registration and enlistment offices will continue to recruit volunteers and candidates for contract service.

About what happens after the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine, read online broadcasts “b”.

Alexander Kislov