On Sunday, Russia’s two most senior MPs responded to a number of concerns about the country’s mobilisation effort by instructing local officials to take control of the situation and immediately resolve the ‘excesses’ that have incited the public’s ire.
As a result of President Vladimir Putin’s decision to order Russia’s first military mobilisation since World War Two, there have been protests across the nation and large numbers of men of military age have fled, resulting in long lines at the border and sold-out flights.
Numerous reports have also shown that draught papers have been given to people who have never served in the military, in defiance of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu’s promise that only those with combat experience or special military skills would be called up. This has caused even the most ardent supporters of the Kremlin to publicly express their concern.
The public’s ire over the way the mobilisation campaign was proceeding was specifically addressed by Russia’s top two lawmakers, both staunch Putin friends.
The Federation Council’s chairwoman, Valentina Matviyenko, acknowledged hearing rumours that males who shouldn’t be eligible for the draught were being called up.
‘Such excesses must cease immediately. And I think it’s completely right that they’re getting a strong response from society,’ she stated in a message on the messaging app Telegram.
Directly addressing the regional governors of Russia, who she claimed ‘full responsibility’ for carrying out the call-up, she wrote: ‘Make sure the partial mobilisation is carried out in full and complete conformity with the stipulated requirements. Without making a single error.’
Post Your Comments