Putin Visits Reserve Forces Training Center... Personally Inspects Conscripts' Supply Status

Controversy Over Unissued Supplies and Backpack Inspection
Continuous Defeat Reports on the Ukraine Frontline

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian President Vladimir Putin personally visited the training camp of reservist soldiers conscripted under the partial mobilization order to inspect the distribution status of supplies. This move is interpreted as a response to domestic and international criticism that soldiers deployed to the Ukrainian front are not receiving proper supplies. Analysts also suggest that Putin's political standing is narrowing as Russian forces continue to suffer defeats on the Ukrainian front despite the large-scale mobilization order.

According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 20th (local time), the Kremlin announced in a statement that President Putin personally visited the Western Military District training ground in the Ryazan region of central Russia to inspect the training status of reservists conscripted under the mobilization order. The Kremlin reported that President Putin encouraged the trainees and personally checked the soldiers' backpacks to confirm whether ammunition and supplies were properly distributed.

This is presumed to be a move to address public opinion following reports within Russia that soldiers conscripted since the partial mobilization order announced on the 21st of last month have not been properly supplied. The Russian government stated that as of the 14th, 222,000 people had been conscripted under the mobilization order and that the goal of conscripting 300,000 by the end of this month would be completed.

However, Russian forces continue to suffer defeats on major Ukrainian fronts. In particular, in the fiercely contested city of Kherson, there are concerns that the Russian army, struggling to maintain the front line, may blow up the Kakhovka Dam on the Dnipro River running through Kherson to carry out a flooding operation. The U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) pointed out, "The Russian military may plan to evacuate civilians, destroy the dam, and blame the Ukrainian forces for the responsibility."

Amid consecutive defeats and worsening domestic public opinion shaking the power base, the Putin regime is rolling out various policies to find a breakthrough in the war. According to The New York Times (NYT), President Putin declared martial law in the occupied territories of Ukraine and ordered the creation of a regional militia called the Territorial Defense Forces.

Additionally, the Russian government has strengthened internal control by granting heads of government in more than 80 regions, including Moscow, authority to tighten control over key infrastructure, public transportation, and communications, as well as to increase production for wartime material mobilization. The NYT pointed out that even in this de facto wartime system, if the situation does not turn around, the only remaining options may be to issue a full mobilization order or resort to extreme measures such as nuclear provocations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.