Russia claimed to have completed reservist mobilization... "Recruitment starts from next month 1st"

Expected Deployment to Frontline Without Completing Basic Training
Power Shortage Until Next Spring... This Winter Is the Crucial Moment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] The Russian government, which declared the completion of a partial mobilization order targeting 300,000 reservists, announced that it will begin recruiting new soldiers starting early next month. With more than 30% of the mobilized troops being deployed directly to the front lines without proper training due to a severe manpower shortage, the recruitment of new soldiers is also being expedited. As Russia is expected to struggle to deploy new forces until next spring, the outcome of the major frontlines in Ukraine this winter is anticipated to be decisive.

According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 30th (local time), the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that recruitment will begin on the 1st of next month. Previously, the Russian government had declared a partial mobilization order targeting 300,000 reservists last month, and it was expected that there would be no new recruitment this year. However, due to the significant deterioration of the situation in Ukraine, it is interpreted that recruitment has been initiated immediately.

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[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 28th, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu appeared on state television and stated, "The partial mobilization order targeting 300,000 reservists has been completed. The average age of those mobilized is 35 years old, with 82,000 deployed to conflict zones and the remaining 218,000 undergoing training at training centers. Going forward, recruitment will continue by enlisting support units without further reservist mobilization."

Since the declaration of the partial mobilization order, it is reported that more than 300,000 eligible men have fled abroad, and support for Russian President Vladimir Putin has sharply declined, which is believed to have accelerated the recruitment process. Russia currently operates a conscription system imposing a one-year military service obligation on men aged 18 to 27, with new recruitments typically conducted in October.

The fact that the Russian military began recruiting new soldiers immediately after completing the partial mobilization order is analyzed as a result of the significant deterioration of the situation on the Ukrainian front. In particular, in the key frontline area of Kherson, troop withdrawals have reportedly begun not only on the western bank of the Dnipro River but also on the eastern bank. According to CNN, the Ukrainian General Staff stated, "According to intelligence, Russian forces are preparing to withdraw artillery from the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast," adding, "The troops stationed there may be redeployed to other frontline areas."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The newly recruited soldiers, unlike the reservists conscripted under the partial mobilization order, are expected to have no prior military experience and will require at least four months of basic training before being deployed to the front lines. The U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated, "Russian law prohibits deploying new recruits to the front lines without at least four months of basic combat training," and predicted, "No matter how quickly they proceed, these soldiers will not be deployed to the front lines until March next year, with actual combat deployment occurring in May."

Accordingly, this winter, when the gaps in the Russian military will continue, is expected to be the critical battleground for both Ukraine and Russia. The ISW forecasted, "The Putin regime in Russia will closely monitor Europe's situation, which will suffer from gas shortages in winter, and the frontline situation to decide whether to enter ceasefire negotiations or prolong the war into next year."

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