Russia’s partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists for the war in Ukraine has been completed, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. No new measures are planned, from now on only volunteers will be used, Shoigu said Friday during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin near Moscow. More than 80,000 of the conscripts have now been deployed to the front.
The Kremlin chief had announced in mid-October that the controversial appeal of reservists had to be completed within two weeks. The Russian capital Moscow had previously announced the end of mobilization.
Many reservists returned in coffins
Putin once again acknowledged that there were many problems with the partial mobilization that began more than a month ago. The soldiers often did not have the right equipment or were not prepared for deployment in the war zone according to Russian regulations. Many reservists already returned in coffins.
Given the difficulties, the Kremlin chief ordered to modernize the work of the conscription offices. Similarly, men who should not have been drafted into military service due to illness, old age or other reasons were also drafted in large numbers. Putin ordered them to be sent back home.
Average age reportedly 35 years
According to Schoigus, 82,000 men are now deployed at the front. He gave the mean age at 35 years. There they must ensure that Russia does not lose again the Ukrainian-annexed and soldier-occupied areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson. Putin had said it was about securing a 1,100 kilometer front line.
Ukraine had repeatedly announced it would liberate its territory, including Crimea’s Black Sea Peninsula, which Russia had annexed in 2014. Large parts of the once occupied territories are now back under Ukrainian control.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
