By Kevin Zhang
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a partial mobilization of reserve troops on Wednesday to bolster forces fighting in Ukraine.
The call-up has been deeply unpopular amongst the Russian people, and has been fiercely resisted. Protests sparked across the country in response to the order have led to almost 1,200 arrests.
The partial mobilization order follows nearly seven months of Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, with their performance being less than expected for many. The first call-up in Russia since the end of World War II heightened tensions with western backers of Ukraine, calling it a move of weakness and desperation from the Russian side.
The move also sent many Russians scrambling to flee the country, whether by air or land. In the 14-minute televised address where he made the announcement, Putin also warned the West that he wasn’t afraid of using everything at his disposal to protect Russia – which has been largely interpreted as a reference to Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
The Kremlin has previously reportedly resorted to recruiting conscripts from prisons to bolster its military forces following the drawn-out conflict and heavier-than-expected losses.
According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, as many as 300,000 reservists could be called up, but the actual decree made by Putin was kept vague and one clause kept secret, raising suspicions that the draft could be expanded at a moment’s notice.
Despite Russia’s harsh laws against any criticism of the military or the war, many protestors gathered in cities across Russia to protest the newest mobilization order. Nearly 1,200 Russians were arrested in cities including Moscow and St. Petersburg, according to the independent Russian human rights group OVD-Info.
The partial mobilization order came two days before Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine are to hold referendums on joining with Russia, which is a move that could allow Russia to escalate the war.
