UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 271 - NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Russian officials are preparing for further covert mobilization measures, even as the conscription cycle for the fall is still ongoing, further overwhelming the already burdened Russian troop generation apparatus, which will have a detrimental effect on the development of mobilized and conscripted soldiers.

Russian Telegram channels actively discussed signs on November 18 that the Kremlin is preparing for a second wave of mobilization, and shared an image of a summons for conscripts that a resident of St. Petersburg allegedly received, requiring him to appear for mobilization in January 2023, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin formally announcing the end of partial mobilization on October 31. Nationalist military bloggers are also spreading the claim that general mobilization will begin in December or January. An independent Russian source published an investigation on November 18 revealing that state structures and companies continue to prepare their employees for mobilization by sending them to various training programs and mobilization-related courses. Another Russian source noted that the military court of the Odintsovo Garrison in the Moscow region mistakenly confirmed that mobilization is continuing despite its formal end. Reportedly, the court charged a mobilized soldier on November 13 for „during the performance of his military duties or in connection with the performance of those duties during mobilization“ assaulting his commander, indicating that the court operates on the legal basis that mobilization is still ongoing. The Kremlin has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not need to sign a decree formally ending the mobilization, as previously reported.

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