Response to Kiev’s counteroffensive
Putin orders partial mobilization of the armed forces
09/21/2022, 08:08 am
Kiev’s counter-offensive is taking its toll on Moscow’s associations in Ukraine. In a TV speech, Kremlin chief Putin now announces the partial mobilization of the armed forces. It’s about defending Russian territories.
Almost seven months after the start of the war against Ukraine, Russia ordered a partial mobilization of its own armed forces. He made this decision based on a proposal from the Defense Ministry and signed the decree, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin said in a televised speech. Partial mobilization begins today.
According to Putin, the partial mobilization means that reservists will be drafted. He assured them that they would have the same status and pay as the current contract soldiers, and they would receive military training before going to the front.
“Russia has modern weapons of destruction”
It’s about defending Russian territories, Putin said. Russia’s goal is to liberate the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine. The West didn’t want peace between Ukraine and Russia; rather, it wanted to destroy Russia. Russia will use all its resources to defend its people. “Russia has modern weapons of destruction. I’m not bluffing,” said the Kremlin chief.
Putin also announced the possible annexation of Ukrainian territories using mock referendums in the occupied territories. “We support the decision made by the majority of citizens in the People’s Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk, in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.”
In addition to the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, the Russian-occupied areas of Cherson and Zaporizhia in the south also want a vote on joining Russia. The simultaneous mock referendums, which will not be recognized by either Ukraine or the international community, are scheduled to be held from September 23-27. They are seen as a reaction to the current Ukrainian counter-offensive in the east of the country.
Sensitive defeats for Moscow’s military
Russian political scientist Tatyana Stanovaya believes that Putin decided to hold accession referendums after his original plans to seize the territories in Ukraine failed. Once the regions have been included, he has the option of defending the territories under threat of using nuclear weapons. In doing so, he significantly increased his efforts in the war.
Russia justified its invasion of Ukraine on February 24 with the “liberation” of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, among other things. First, the Russian military was able to conquer large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.
Most recently, however, the Kremlin had to accept a serious defeat, the Russian troops withdrew almost completely from the Kharkiv region after Ukrainian attacks. State propaganda then warned of a possible devastating defeat in the war. On the other hand, the Russian military leadership has repeatedly emphasized that everything is going according to plan and that all goals have been achieved.