Following Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s order for partial mobilization for the war in Ukraine, the leadership in Moscow complained of “hysteria” in the country.
At the same time, it excluded reservists with certain professions from forced recruitment. For example, IT specialists, experts for securing the financial system or employees of the mass media who belong to the “system-preserving” professions would not be drafted, the Defense Ministry in Moscow announced on Friday.
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Thousands of men fled the country as reservists were called up for the war in Ukraine. The exodus is also considered a danger for the Russian economy. After Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February, tens of thousands of people left the country. For the war in the neighboring country, Putin wants to draft at least 300,000 reservists.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for sufficient information to be obtained. “It’s kind of understandable that there was a hysterical, extremely emotional reaction in the first few hours after the announcement and even on the first day, because there was actually insufficient information,” said Peskow. In the meantime, however, there are also hotlines to clarify questions over the phone.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow said that high-tech workers should not be drafted. Accordingly, the employees of the state propaganda media do not have to go to war either. They are fueling the war and had called on Putin to do more in Ukraine. Protected are therefore editors, publishers, employees of television, radio and newspapers. They are among Putin’s most important power pillars.
The head of the defense committee in the Russian parliament, Andrei Kartapolov, explained with regard to the flight that the law on mobilization does ban reservists from leaving the country. However, because it is a partial mobilization, the law will not be applied. Travel within Russia and abroad is therefore allowed. However, he recommended that reservists who are unsure should go to the draft station themselves to clarify what is and isn’t allowed.
Because of the global sanctions against Russia, Russian tourists can hardly travel abroad. Some Russian tour operators are still trying to offer exotic trips. They come up with absolutely absurd ideas.
It has been seven months since the Russian army invaded Ukraine. Most recently, the Ukrainians were able to win back large parts of their country. Now would be a good moment for us to pause and recap what the sanctions have brought about.
Curious consequences of the Ukraine war: The largest superyacht in the world was relocated from Hamburg to Bremen after expropriation – without a crew.
