UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 215 - SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

The Kremlin's rigorous approach to partial mobilization may meet the Kremlin's internal target of mobilized personnel, but it is unlikely to produce effective soldiers and is resulting in significant domestic backlash, without achieving anything. Russian authorities are forcibly recruiting Russian citizens under flimsy pretexts for the fight in Ukraine, violating the Kremlin's promise to only hire individuals with military experience. Additionally, Russian authorities are mobilizing individuals (e.g. protesters) with poor morale who will be sent to fight in Ukraine. The Kremlin's harsh approach to partial mobilization is likely to exacerbate public dissatisfaction with a measure that would have been unpopular even without the recent hardline actions of the past 24 hours.

The Kremlin attempted to downplay the prisoner exchange with Ukraine, which is extremely unpopular among Russian nationalists and military bloggers, especially because the exchange took place on the same day Putin announced a partial mobilization.

The full Russian Offensive Update 215 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

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