Partial mobilization in Ukraine
President Zelenskyj calls up reservists
2/23/2022 1:22 am
In order to be able to react better to a possible Russian attack, the Ukrainian President Zelenskyj decides to call up reservists. He also announces new military exercises. Meanwhile, Kremlin chief Putin is recognizing the separatist areas to a much larger extent than expected.
Against the background of the serious crisis with Russia, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced a partial mobilization of reservists. “We have to operationally fill up the army and other military formations,” the head of state said in a video message on Tuesday. There will also be military exercises in the area defense units.
The 44-year-old did not say how many men will be affected. At the same time, a program to increase the independence of the economy will be launched. This also includes the reduction in VAT for petrol and diesel. He announced a meeting with the 150 most important entrepreneurs and urged all business people to stay in the country.
In addition, Kiev is working on a summit of permanent members of the UN Security Council together with Turkey and Germany, he said. Permanent members include the US, UK, France, China and Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk within their much larger original Ukrainian borders. This means that the territorial claims of the separatists, who so far only control about 32 percent of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, go well beyond the area they have previously administered. This poses a risk of renewed fighting with the Ukrainian government forces that control the rest of the country.
Putin said Tuesday that the leaders of the “Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics,” which are recognized as independent states, must negotiate with the Ukrainian government.
At a press conference, Putin also declared the Minsk peace plan for eastern Ukraine to be over. The agreements would have been superfluous with the recognition of the sovereign states. He also said the Ukraine crisis could be resolved if the neighboring country was demilitarized and did not join NATO. In this way, the West can also save face, he said.