Russian President Putin wants to draft around 300,000 reservists as part of the partial mobilization. The majority have now joined the army, reports Defense Minister Shoigu. However, experts from London doubt that everything is ready for the training of the 200,000 soldiers.
According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, more than 200,000 people have already been conscripted as part of the partial mobilization in Russia. "The training takes place on 80 training sites and in 6 training centers," he said in Moscow, according to his ministry. Military and naval commanders were to help "quickly adapt recruits to combat" and provide additional training.
Experts from the British Ministry of Defense had previously reported significant problems. Russia is no longer able to provide sufficient equipment and military training for the large number of recruits, the daily summary said. Shoigu said authorities have been instructed to provide recruits with the necessary clothing and equipment and to brief them.
According to Schoigu's account, many volunteers have volunteered. He did not name numbers. Nobody should be rejected "unless there are serious reasons". Conscripts who have completed their service should also return home. There is great concern among the mostly young men that after their military service they could be sent to the war in neighboring Ukraine. However, with a view to the war, Shoigu said they should be attached to units that are not involved in the military special operation.
According to official reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to draft in around 300,000 reservists in order to hold the occupied territories after the Russian army was defeated in Ukraine. Last week, the President acknowledged mistakes in the mobilization and announced that he would correct them.
The mobilization sparked a series of protests across the country. Tens of thousands of men of military age fled the conscription abroad, mainly to neighboring countries. Kazakhstan reported 200,000 arrivals from Russia within two weeks on Tuesday. However, many Russians would have left the ex-Soviet republic again.
Kazakh Interior Minister Marat Akhmedzhanov stressed that there would be no entry restrictions for Russian citizens. According to him, 68 applications for naturalization have been made so far.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has pledged protection to Russians fleeing partial Russian mobilization to Kazakhstan. Russian authorities are trying to filter out conscript men at the border and for this purpose opened a temporary mobilization center at the Karausek border crossing in the Astrakhan region of Russia at the end of September.
