2 hours ago
photo released, Reuters
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Russian authorities say 300,000 reservists will be recalled, but media indicate the number may be higher
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The Kremlin has admitted its mistakes in trying to mobilize Russian army reservists for the fight in Ukraine amid growing public opposition.
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A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said: “There have been cases where the decree has been violated”, adding that “all errors will be corrected”.
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Several reports claim that people with no military experience – or who are elderly or disabled – have been called up to serve in the military.
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The mobilization decree issued last week sparked widespread protests.
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On September 21, President Putin announced what he described as a partial mobilization, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later claiming that 300,000 reservists would be called into service.
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But Russian opposition media reports have suggested that up to a million people could be summoned, noting that a paragraph believed to speak of the exact number of reservists needed was removed from the published version of Putin’s decree on the official website of the Kremlin.
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Numerous experts in the West and Ukraine say Putin’s decision to call back reserves shows that Russian forces are failing on the battlefields in Ukraine, more than seven months into the Russian invasion.
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Since the announcement of the mobilization decree, more than 2,000 people have been arrested during protests across Russia.
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Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted mistakes were made in a short press release on Monday.
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“Governors are actively working to correct the situation” in some areas, he said.
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Peskov also said he was unaware of any decision to close Russian borders and impose martial law on the country.
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Media reports had previously indicated that this measure could be taken to prevent potential recruits from fleeing overseas.
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In the latest sign of growing popular protests, an army conscript officer was seriously injured in the Siberian city of Ust-Limsk on Monday.
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Videos circulated on social media show the attacker approaching the officer and shooting him. Then people in the building are seen screaming and running in panic after the gunman yells at them to escape.
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Over the weekend, crowds of protesters in the republic of Dagestan, in the North Caucasus of the Russian Federation, clashed with police over the decision to mobilize military. The independent Russian human rights observatory “Ovi D-Info” said that more than 100 people were arrested during the protests that took place in the regional capital, Makhachkala.
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There have also been reports of arson against recruiting centers and other administrative buildings across Russia.
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In his announcement of the partial mobilization last week, Putin did not specify how many reservists would be called.
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But Shoigu, speaking immediately after the president, said that 30,000 reservists – people with military experience who need specialized skills – would be recruited.
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The minister said this number makes up just over one percent of the 25 million conscripts in the Russian military reserve. This process will be spread over several months.
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The mobilization decree provided for the application of certain restrictions relating to age and disability. He did not provide further details on the matter. It is believed that males between the ages of 18 and 60 can be recruited – and in some cases this may include older ones.
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Russian commentators cast serious doubts on the promises of the president and his defense minister that the withdrawal would be limited.
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They also point out that the decree says nothing about exceptions, such as not enlisting students or conscripts.
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It is believed that it was up to local leaders to decide who would be called upon to respect the quotas.
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Russia had amassed around 190,000 troops along the Ukrainian border before the invasion began on February 24.
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