The Second Wave of Mobilization: Moscow’s First Step Towards Independence of the Kremlin in the Crisis of September 11, 2016

When Vladimir Putin tried to mobilize hundreds of thousands of citizens to fight in his invasion of Ukraine last September, chaos, fear and anger reverberated through Russia.

The Kremlin said the new bill, which the parliament passed on Wednesday and which must be signed by Putin before it becomes law, is not a radical change in Russia’s compulsory military service.

According to a 51-year-old psychologist from Moscow, the second wave of Mobilization is the beginning. These amendments made me feel a lot more uncertain and anxious.

It would allow for electronic delivery of military call-up papers, in addition to traditional letters, and ban those who serve in the military from traveling abroad. It also includes tough penalties for those who ignore a summons – barring them from getting a loan, moving into a new apartment, registering as self-employed and driving a vehicle.

It could have big implications for the Kremlin’s war plans in Ukraine, especially as it tries to bolster Russian forces in anticipation of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

How will the next military mobilization arrive? A lawyer’s tale of a family of soldiers living in Ukraine, explains Artem Irina

Police raids were used to round up conscripts. People didn’t like that. She said that they are trying to come up with something different.

“This may well be an attempt to avoid the full-scale manhunt they employed before, which caused so much panic,” added Artem, 25, who dodged the September mobilization despite receiving a call-up. I’m not convinced these measures will help to prevent a big mobilization like last year.

But he is certain of one thing: if another attempt at mass mobilization arrives, he will not comply. “My relatives, not fit for army service, can drive my car if they take away my license,” he said. “I don’t own any real estate. And the traveling ban has more of a psychological effect on me than practical – or I would have left long ago.”

He is confident his friends and family would take a similar approach. “It will prompt them to take more measures to dodge. Some will leave, others – move to their country homes, still others – forge their documents,” he said. Everyone will have to find a way around this.

“None of my friends and aquaintances will attend the centers for military service,” stated Irina. “They will employ anything to avoid getting there,” she said.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/12/europe/russia-conscription-bill-ukraine-intl/index.html

Why does the new Kremlin law need to be read? Vladimir Putin’s “partial mobilization order” in Ukraine is a misdemeanor

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that the new bill is meant only to “fix the mess” that followed September’s controversial partial mobilization order.

It was an admission of failure that showed how much damage had been done. The order prompted thousands of Russians to flee to the border, due to issues.

Kremlin officials and lawmakers have made clear they see the law as a response to problems carrying out Putin’s “partial mobilization” decree last fall to call up 300,000 troops to fight in Ukraine.

I don’t have any faith in the authorities in Russia. I fear for my son even more than about my own life,” said Alexey, whose son falls within the official age range for conscription.

In Russia, the enlistment office or employer is the preferred method of delivery for conscription documents. The new bill makes an electronic summons – uploaded to a government portal called Gosuslugi – equal to the traditional method, and does not take into account whether it has been read.

The war remains popular in Russia, but analysts believe that the September order to mobilize was a turning point, bringing the reality of conflict home to many Russians.

I feel badly about this war. All other wars and deaths by force, regardless of the cause, are the same. I think wars should only be fought by people who are qualified to do it.

The Second Wave of the Russian War in Ukraine, and the Challenge of Finding Work and Accommodation in Europe, as explained by Artem in a CNN Briefing

But fleeing is a difficult proposition. Artem told CNN he is exploring the possibility, but sees few options and fears being unable to find work abroad.

“And even if it were possible, finding work and accommodation abroad is not so simple. She said that many people who had left in autumn last year had returned. “But, of course, I would feel much better had my son been living in another country. I worry less about my daughter nowadays because she left two years ago.

Though the Kremlin has been quick to downplay the significance of the move, its provisions and timing are convenient for a military bogged down in stalemate in its ground campaign in eastern Ukraine, after months of grinding combat which has bled their manpower and weaponry.

“[Russia has] acknowledged that they needed 400,000 more troops and that’s not just for the conflict [in Ukraine], but also to fulfill new formations which are going to be put on the new border with NATO and Finland,” the officials said in a briefing on Wednesday, answering a question from CNN.

For those who oppose the conflict, it made their opposition stronger. “Is it the second wave? Artem said that it seems very much so. The front will be supplied with more meat if a wave of mobilization is successful.

He said that he was referring to Putin by his first and middle names and that he wanted to know what his view was of the war, draft, and everything in between.

On a basic level, the new law makes it very difficult for Russians — mostly men but also women with specialized skills — to avoid being drafted or conscripted.

That system will now be supplanted by electronic notifications — i.e. emails — issued through systems including the web portals that Russians use to pay their utility bills, taxes and other services.

How Russians left their military recruitment office after the Ukrainian draft protests last year: The story of Ukraine’s most populous retaken territory

Those who do not show up at their recruitment office will face a host of new restrictions including losing access to banking, selling property and even obtaining a driver’s license.

It provided support to the front line, but also made many Russians flee the country to avoid the draft. Many other people dodged service within the country by changing their address, or simply not seeing the draft notice.

Whether the government calls up more Russians to fight ultimately depends on what happens in the coming months — particularly as Ukraine prepares to launch a counteroffensive to retake occupied territories.

In recent months, the military has focused on recruiting volunteers, offering contract soldiers far higher pay to fight in Ukraine — up to $2,600 a month, a vast sum for Russians from small towns or rural areas.

Authorities seem aware of how deeply unpopular last year’s mobilization drive was. It set off protests across the country, and a rash of public complaints that recruits lacked equipment and training for battle — grievances that citizens often aired in public videos. President Putin admitted that there were mistakes made.

Russia has been unable to control territory it claimed to have taken from Ukraine, and has suffered heavy losses in the process.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/13/1169464889/russia-military-draft-ukraine-war

Defense Ministry Increased Soldiers by 30% to 1.5 million Solved in the First Order Reconstruction of the Soviet Union Using Rotating and Inflating Rotating Balls

The Defense Ministry said it would increase the size of the military by 30% to 1.5 million soldiers. Adding several hundred thousand additional troops on top of contract volunteers will mean it.