Escalation or accepting Ukraine losses? Putin's partial mobilisation explained
Russia-Ukraine War: The mobilisation, will be partial in nature, drawing 300,000 reservists from the country out of its vast reserve force of 25 million people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered the country's first mobilisation since World War Two amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine which began nearly seven months ago in February. Russia has been faltering in the battlefield as Ukraine made major gains in the past two weeks.
The mobilisation, will be partial in nature, drawing 300,000 reservists from the country out of its vast reserve force of 25 million people. These will include men and women aged from 18 to 60 years. Here's what Putin's move of partial mobilisation means:
Who will be included in the partial mobilisation process?
The call-up will include Russians who have previously served in the army and have combat experience as students or men serving mandatory 12-month terms in Russian armed forces will not be included, Russia's defence minister said on Wednesday.
Why is the move necessitated?
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said the main task of the reservists will be to reinforce the front line in Ukraine. "Naturally what is behind this line needs to be reinforced, the territory needs to be controlled," he said.
Will the reservists be immediately deployed in Ukraine?
The reservists will undergo training and will not be deployed to Ukraine immediately. The move could take several months, military analysts have said.
How have Russians responded to Putin's mobilisation announcement?
The announcement has triggered panic among Russians as one-way flights out of Russia were reported to be selling out fast on Wednesday. Protests also broke out in Russian cities following Putin's announcement.