“Either the prisoners or your children.” “Illegal” mobilization in Russia
Although Prigogine did not admit that the person in the video was himself, he supported the practice of mobilizing prisoners in a statement released on September 16.
Although the Kremlin does not admit Russia In the seventh month of its invasion of Ukraine, it is suffering from a shortage of manpower. According to Western estimates, Russia 25 thousand in the war soldier lost It is reported that the total number of dead and beneficiaries is 80,000. Moreover, in return for these losses, the Kremlin was unable to achieve any of the goals it had set for itself at the beginning of the invasion.
Moscow has so far refused to declare war and general mobilization. Observers do it internally political associated with avoiding consequences. Government from urban areas and from among the professional class soldier does not collect. Instead, men living in remote and poor regions are contracted soldier trying to attract him to the army.
On September 15, Russia’s private, which made a name for itself in the world military A video of Yevgeny Prigozhin, who oversees his companies, was released in a prison. In the video, Prigozhin urges prisoners to join his company to fight in Ukraine. in Russia a prisoner rights protection groups 10 believes that up to a thousand prisoners have already been sent to Ukraine.
Although Prigozhin did not admit that the person in the video was himself, he supported the practice of mobilizing prisoners in a statement issued on September 16.
“Prisoners are private military Those who don’t want to fight for companies, those who condemn it, those who don’t want to do anything themselves, and those who don’t like this topic in general, should send their children to the front. Or private military companies and prisonersor your children – decide for yourself”, Prigogine said.
On September 15, the leader of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov The leaders of 83 regions of Russia were ordered to start mobilization at the regional level, independently and not to go to war, “without waiting for the Kremlin’s announcement of military mobilization.” 1000 called to send volunteers.
USAThe analysis published on September 15 by the Institute of War Studies, located in , says that the Kremlin of Ukraine Kharkiv is trying to mobilize more manpower in light of recent successes in the region.
“Kharkiv The defeat in the province forced the Kremlin to announce a campaign of mobilization throughout Russia. This is partly Kadyrov’s initiative.” – Institute writes.
Within two days of Kadyrov’s message, at least four regional leaders of Russia supported his idea. One of them is the head of the Republic of Mari El, whose center is located in the Volga region Yuri Zaitsevis Mari El, one of the poorest regions of Russia, has already sent 3 battalions of volunteers to Ukraine. The prison in the video where Prigogine is seen is also located here.
However, Sergey Krivenko, the head of the non-governmental aid organization “Citizen.Army.Law”, says that Russia according to its laws, it is clearly illegal for regions to conduct their own individual military mobilization campaigns.
“Of course, Russia is a federal state. However, all security issues and the formation and operation of the armed forces are the functions of the central government only.
Ministry of Defenceor National Any mobilization outside the Guard or the creation of separate military units should be impossible and illegal. Of course, this is possible, but it is illegal,” Krivenko told “Nastoyasheye Vremya”.
“People are not forced to join the army by force. They are trapped in different ways. They are promised large sums of money and other things and are usually never paid. But no one is forced. This means that honest Russian citizens have a chance to think about it and not participate in this evil.
I’m saying it’s possible, but I’m not saying it’s easy. It has become much more difficult to do recently, but it is still possible. It just takes extra effort and determination.” Krivenko added.