What You Need To Know:
On Tuesday, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that Russia has no plans for further mobilization of men to fight in Ukraine. He announced that over 335,000 Russians had volunteered for armed service or in voluntary units this year alone.
“Since the beginning of the year, more than 335,000 individuals had enlisted under contract or volunteered,” Shoigu stated bluntly, underlining the surge in patriotic fervor. In September alone, over 50,000 citizens signed contracts, marking a substantial boost in recruitment.
The Details:
Given the prolonged nature of the conflict in Ukraine, Russia has significantly fortified its military capabilities and ramped up weapons production. Shoigu emphasized that the current personnel strength is deemed sufficient to continue fighting in Ukraine.
Last September, President Putin ordered a ‘partial mobilization’ of 300,000 reservists. This move triggered a mass exodus of young men seeking to evade conscription. Reflecting on this, Putin has stressed the reluctance to repeat such a mobilization, a sentiment shared by many Russian officials who view it as a misstep leading to a significant outflow of citizens.”