Exit stop for conscripts?
Russian secret service is probably closing the borders
Created: 01/12/2023 05:28
By: Andreas Schmid
Russian recruits board a train at Prudboi station in the Volgograd region in October following Putin's partial mobilization.
© Uncredited/AP/dpa
Ukraine raises concerns about a new Russian mobilization.
The secret service is already closing the borders, it's about "quantity instead of quality".
Kyiv/Moscow – Thousands of reservists are now fighting in the Ukraine war.
Russian citizens who were ordered into the military by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin as part of the partial mobilization.
In the country of 143 million inhabitants, however, there are still a number of able-bodied men who have not yet been drafted.
There should now be a ban on leaving the country, as the intelligence service of the Ukrainian armed forces said on Wednesday.
Borders closed to conscripts?
Kyiv raises concerns about new mobilization in Russia
Accordingly, the Russian secret service FSB sent a corresponding instruction to all border departments in the country (in Russia, the border guards are part of the FSB).
According to Ukrainian data, the text says: “From January 9, 2023, from midnight, the border guard department of the FSB of Russia will ensure restrictions on the exit from the territory of the Russian Federation of citizens who have a certificate of readiness for military service ( ...).” Accordingly, the regulation is already in force.
According to Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, the order also applies to men with restricted service.
Conscripts in this category are exempt from conscription in peacetime and exempt from military training.
According to Ukrainian information, Russia is relying on “quantity instead of quality” with the possible strategy.
Putin had already ordered a larger partial mobilization in the fall.
It was initially unclear which specific war aims resulted from the presumed order.
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On Tuesday, Ukraine reported a possible renewed attack on the capital Kyiv – from Belarus.
Defense positions in the north of the country have already been prepared or reinforced for this purpose, said Lieutenant General Oleksiy Pavlyuk, who is responsible for the defense of Kiev.
In order to prevent rapid tank advances by Russian units, larger minefields were laid at all points accessible to tanks.
If the attackers couldn't get through these barriers, it would be easier for Ukrainian artillery to smash the troop concentrations.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy's adviser Oleksiy Arestovich also fears another massive attack by Russian missiles.
"Sooner or later this will happen," he said, according to the
Unian
news agency, in an interview with former Russian politician and human rights activist Mark Feigin.
As an approximate date, he gave the period between January 12th and 15th.
Although this does not necessarily have to be the case, the assumption is based on the timing of earlier attacks.
Possible new reservists will not be there yet.
According to Ukrainian data, it will take about two months to equip and train the "supply".
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