nAfter the partial mobilization ordered by the head of the Kremlin, dramatic farewell scenes are spreading on social media in Russia. A video clip circulated on Twitter on Thursday showing men emerging from a yard apparently used as a recruitment center. Before boarding the buses, they hugged their waiting relatives. Many cried and some covered their mouths in sadness. In Moscow, women crossed themselves outside a mobilization center at the sight of men who appeared to be conscripts.
A father hugged his 25-year-old son, who identified himself as Dmitriy. With the words „be careful” and let him.
Dmitry told RIA Ostroshno-Novosti that he did not expect to be called up and sent so quickly, especially since he is still a student. “No one said anything to me in the morning. They gave me the summons notice, according to which I was going to come here at 3:00 pm. We waited an hour and a half, and then the officer came and said we are going now.” I said, 'Oh great! “I went out and called my dad, brother and all my friends to tell them they were going to take me.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his video message Thursday evening, called on Russian citizens to protest against the partial mobilization. At the same time, he criticized those who are under pressure to fight in the Russian army. He also turned on the Russians, who had not yet spoken out against the war. „You are indeed accomplices in all these crimes, murders and torture against Ukrainians,” Zelensky said in his speech, in which he switched to Russian. He also warned Russian citizens that they would be „sent to their deaths.” The only options left for the Russians to survive were „to protest, resist, escape or surrender to Ukrainian captivity.”
The Russian army is setting up call centers
Putin did not provide any details about the partial mobilization, so far it was only said that up to 300,000 reservists could be called up. The uncertainty among the people seems to be so great that on Thursday the Russian military announced the creation of a call center that citizens can call to ask questions. Zelensky claimed that up to a million men could be recruited in Russia. A Kremlin spokesman refused.
Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said in Washington that the United States assumes that Russia will need time to train and equip the new soldiers. Therefore, it is unlikely to solve Russian problems regarding the command structure, logistics and morale of the troops at the moment.
In the West, the partial mobilization is seen as a move in desperation after recent major Ukrainian gains in areas formerly under Russian control. At the same time, Putin risks growing resentment of the invasion of Ukraine in his country: following his orders, anti-war protests erupted in Russia, during which, according to activists, more than 1,300 people were arrested. Many now want to leave Russia as soon as possible. The flight tickets abroad were fully booked within a short period of time.