Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck called the partial mobilization announced by Russia a “bad and wrong step”. With this step, Vladimir Putin is heading for a further escalation in his war against Ukraine.
On the 210th day of the war against neighboring Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of his own armed forces. The Kremlin chief said in a television speech that he made this decision based on a proposal from the Defense Ministry and signed the decree. Partial mobilization will begin this Wednesday. He also wants to solve personnel problems at the front. At the same time, Putin announced that he would support the “referendums” in the occupied territories of Ukraine on joining Russia.
Partial mobilization of Russia affects reservists
According to Putin, the partial mobilization means that reservists will be drafted. They would get the same status and the same pay as the current contract soldiers and would receive military training again before going to the front, he assured. According to Putin, the reservists who had already served had “relevant experience”. According to the Ministry of Defense, 300,000 soldiers are to be mobilized.
The “People’s Republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk in the east of Ukraine, which Moscow recognizes, and the Cherson region in the south, want to have a vote on joining the Russian Federation in so-called “referendums” this week. This was announced by the regions on Tuesday. The mock referendums, which are not recognized by either Ukraine or the international community, are to be held from September 23-27. They are seen as a reaction to the current Ukrainian counter-offensive in the east of the country.
Similarly, in 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. The vote was not recognized internationally. This time, too, recognition is not in sight. The West responded with sanctions. However, Russia had always stressed that it would not allow the punitive measures taken by the EU and the USA to divert it from its goals in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin also mentioned nuclear weapons
With the announcement, the Kremlin chief is paving the way for a further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. In his address to the nation, Putin accused the West of wanting to “destroy” Russia. Russia will use all “available means” to protect its territory, he said. He also mentioned nuclear weapons. Putin has already put the strategic nuclear arsenal on increased readiness to deter NATO from interfering in Ukraine.
Russian political scientist Tatyana Stanovaya said that Putin decided to hold accession referendums after the failure of his original plans to quickly seize the territories of Ukraine. Once the regions have been included, he has the option of defending the territories under threat of using nuclear weapons. In doing so, he significantly increased his efforts in the war.
Most recently, however, the Kremlin had to accept a serious defeat, the Russian troops withdrew almost completely from the Kharkiv region after Ukrainian attacks. State propaganda then warned of a possible devastating defeat in the war. On the other hand, the Russian military leadership has repeatedly emphasized that everything is going according to plan and that all goals have been achieved.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
