Secret mobilization: Putin wants to hide heavy losses in the Ukraine war
Created: 05/25/2022, 10:21 am
By: Tobias Utz
Russia's army is weakened, the Kremlin's war plans fail.
President Putin needs additional personnel.
Moscow – The figures for Russia's losses in the Ukraine war vary greatly.
While the Kremlin recently spoke of just over 2,000 soldiers killed, the Ukrainian general staff now assumes more than 29,000 dead soldiers.
The estimate of the British secret service lies in between: around 15,000 military personnel from Russia have been killed so far.
Accordingly, the Russian army no longer has a third of its ground forces in Ukraine.
In order to be able to compensate for heavy losses, Russia needs new armed forces.
Numerous Western secret services had therefore already expected on May 9, the "Day of Victory" over Nazi Germany, that Vladimir Putin would call for a general mobilization.
However, this did not happen.
Ukraine war: Putin starts covert general mobilization
The Kremlin is now apparently catching up on that.
The Chairman of the Defense Committee introduced an amendment to the law in the State Duma, according to which the limit on military service should be abolished.
Until now, the age limit for Russian citizens was 40 years, for foreign citizens the limit was 30 years.
“Highly professional specialists are needed for the use of high-precision weapons, as well as the operation of weapons and military equipment.
Experience has shown that specialization occurs between the ages of 40 and 45,” says the justification for the change in the law.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
© Photo: Vladimir Astapkovich/AP |
Editing: IPPEN.MEDIA
The initiative of the chairman of the defense committee is probably related to the increasing domestic political pressure on Vladimir Putin's government.
At the beginning of the invasion, the President had declared a duration of 15 days for the “special operation” in Ukraine.
This goal has long been missed.
In an analysis, the think tank “Institute for the Study of War” assumes that nationalist forces in particular are increasing the pressure on Putin in Moscow.
Accordingly, various groups are calling for further mobilization.
Demands for more soldiers are also repeatedly heard on television, which is dominated by Kremlin propaganda.
Most recently, however, an ex-military man caused a stir in a live broadcast when he addressed, among other things, the heavy losses in Russia.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, walks in the military parade commemorating the end of World War II.
May 9th is celebrated as victory as "Day of Victory" over Hitler's Germany.
© Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP/dpa |
Editing: IPPEN.MEDIA
"This is the latest attempt to counteract the labor shortage without worrying its own people," emphasizes Ben Hodges, former commander of the US armed forces in Germany, as reported by the RND.
However, there is also resistance in Russia to the hidden general mobilization.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, there were at least twelve arson attacks in protest in the Ukraine conflict.
(Tobias Utz)
