Putin Announces Partial Mobilization Order... "The West Wants to Destroy Us" (Update)

Conscription Conducted for Veterans and Those with Military Service Experience
Shift to Mobilization Order Declared Amid Worsening Russian War Situation

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization order. Despite the ongoing deterioration of the war situation, Russia, which had not issued a full wartime mobilization order, is expected to enter a full wartime system by issuing a partial mobilization order.

According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 21st (local time), President Putin said in a pre-recorded state TV broadcast, "I have signed a partial military mobilization order, and mobilization will be implemented from today," emphasizing, "The West wants to destroy us, but we will achieve the liberation of the Donbas region as planned." President Putin did not specify the detailed concept of mobilization under the partial mobilization order.

Inside and outside Russia, it is expected that the mobilization will initially target reservists and those with prior military service experience. Along with this, forced mobilization of companies for the production of military supplies and weapons to carry out the war in Ukraine is also anticipated.

Until now, President Putin and the Russian government have referred to the war in Ukraine as a "special military operation" limited to the Donbas region and emphasized that a national general mobilization order would not be issued. However, as Ukraine's counteroffensive, supported by Western weapons, intensifies and Russian forces begin to retreat from major occupied areas such as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, it is interpreted that a partial mobilization order has been issued for the time being.

President Putin also indicated his intention to proceed with a referendum for the annexation of the occupied territories, including the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, into Russia. President Putin emphasized, "Russia will support the decisions made by the residents of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions." In these areas, a referendum for integration into Russia is scheduled to be held from the 23rd to the 27th of this month.