This morning, President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation to announce the beginning of a partial mobilization starting today, September 21. The presidential decree is available on the Kremlin's website.
“The military mobilization is aimed at individuals who are currently in reserve – primarily those who have served in the Armed Forces, have a relevant military occupational specialty, and hands-on experience. Before deployment, mobilized servicemen will attend mandatory military training that takes into account our experience in the special military operation.
I hereby entrust the heads of regions with providing the necessary assistance to military enlistment offices. The government must provide defense facilities with the required logistics support, resources, and funding in short order.
Ukraine has ramped up its repressive regime in the most brutal fashion. The policy of intimidation, terror, and violence is assuming increasingly more horrifying and barbaric forms. We have a moral obligation to deliver the people who are like family to us from torture and executions. We cannot ignore their desire to determine their own future.
I have already issued directives to the government and the Ministry of Defense to finalize the legal status of volunteers and DPR and LPR fighters in full and as soon as possible. Their status must be the same as that of career officers, including healthcare and social benefits. We must pay special attention to providing them with equipment.
The West looks to weaken, disintegrate, and exterminate our country. They openly admit having split the USSR in 1991, and now they have come for the Russian Federation, saying it should fall apart into a host of warring territories. Yet another, a third, large-scale offensive on the Donbas was inevitable, and so was the subsequent attack on Crimea. The decision about a preemptive operation was imperative.”
The decree on partial mobilization. Key takeaways:
· Citizens of the Russian Federation who have been mobilized for military service enjoy the same status as contract servicemen of Russia's Armed Forces. They receive monetary compensation on par with contract soldiers and officers.
· Current military service contracts remain in effect until the end of partial mobilization, except for cases of resignation from military service on the grounds provided for by the present decree.
· The employees of defense industry enterprises are entitled to postpone their mobilization for military service for the period of their employment.
Grounds for resignation from military service:
· Age – when the upper age threshold for military service is reached
· Health condition – if a medical board concludes that a serviceman is non-effective, except for cases when a serviceman is willing to continue military service on military posts for which their health condition is acceptable
· The fact of a custodial court sentence coming into effect