A classified item 7 of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree allows the Defense Ministry to mobilize one million people. Officially, the authorities are talking about 300,000 people.
Independent media pointed out as early as Wednesday that the published scan of the president’s decree on “partial mobilization” for war with Ukraine contains an undisclosed passage.
“In the content of the decree published on the Kremlin’s website, point 7. was omitted, and in the version presented on the state legal portal it is hidden and marked ‘for official use’.” – emphasized the Meduza portal.
The Novaya Gazeta interlocutor relayed that the idea of labeling the entire contents of the document as “for official use” was initially discussed. Representatives of the Defense Ministry were in favor of this. However, only point 7 on the number of people who should be mobilized was kept secret.
“The number was changed several times, and in the end it stood at one million.” – says the source.
Asked about the content of the item, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he “could not disclose it,” but specified that it refers to the number of people to be mobilized. He also cited Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu, who said it was to be 300,000 people.
Popular mobilization
“Mobilization is de facto universal, and not at all partial. They can appoint everyone, except those who are unsuitable due to age and health,” a lawyer for opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s team, Vyacheslav Gimadi, assessed on Wednesday.
“They have the right to call up all but those completely unfit for service due to health and due to age (soldiers up to 50, and junior officers up to 60). As the defense ministry wishes,” Gimadi wrote.
Source: Nowaja gazieta
