According to Europe reporter and Ukraine observer Geert Jan Hahn, the signals are getting stronger, but he notes that “the previous mobilization hasn’t actually stopped, people are still being called up.” However, Ukraine sticks to the January 5 date when a new round will start.
Russia correspondent Joost Bosman believes the signals from Ukraine should be viewed critically. «Precisely because the messages come from the Ukrainian secret services. But even pro-Kremlin political scientists say a new round is inevitable’.
BORN
For example, according to Bosman, one of the commentators claims that Putin is actually further expanding the war in Ukraine into a war with NATO. Putin also referred to this in his New Year’s speech. And if this turns into a long war and a war with NATO, you will also need a lot more military personnel in the long run.’
However, due to the fact that the January 5 date was leaked, the mobilization will not start today, Bosman thinks. “The Kremlin hates leaked plans and therefore the mobilization is thought to be postponed until January 10 or 15. But a new round of mobilization is set in stone.’
Previous round not yet interrupted
However, the question is whether a new round should be announced. Officially, the current mobilization has not stopped. ‘Putin declared the mobilization by decree and said at the end of October that the mobilization was ready, but this was not established on paper. He should have stopped the mobilization by decree, but he didn’t,’ says Bosman. “As a result, the mobilization will covertly continue in practice and perhaps continue this way from now on, no official announcement but it will simply continue.”
According to Bosman, students are also being recruited, while they would be spared. “I saw Telegram messages saying 20 conservatory students were taken in and taken away by officers. You see things like that happening left and right.’
Resistance to army leadership
Meanwhile, criticism of the army leadership continues to grow. Not only in response to the attack on a barracks and an adjacent ammunition depot in which many Russian soldiers died, but also for the mobilized soldiers. “They are poorly equipped, they don’t have enough weapons and almost no food. You can’t win a war like that.”
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