Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that he'd signed a decree on partial mobilization in the country, Sputnik reported.
"In this situation, I consider it necessary to take the following decisions, they are fully adequate to the threats we face. Namely: to protect our Motherland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated territories, I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff on conducting partial mobilization in the Russian Federation," Putin said, addressing Russians.
He said that measures on mobilization will begin on Wednesday, noting that only reservists will be subject to conscription - first, those who have relevant experience and military professions.
He also noted that citizens who join the army during the mobilization will get the status and social guarantees of the military's contracted servicemen. At the same time, the Kremlin noted that military service contracts will be extended until the end of mobilization.
In his address to the nation, president Putin previously explained the situation regarding the special military operation in Ukraine. He stressed that the main goal of the Russian special operation in Ukraine remains the liberation of Donbas.
He said that Russia will support the result of the referendums, which will take place in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
He stressed that people in Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as in the liberated territories of Ukraine, don't want to be oppressed by the Ukrainian Neo-Nazi regime, as they have witnessed atrocities by Kyiv's troops.
Putin said that the current conflict was instigated by the West, noting that the Western countries seek the destruction and disintegration of Russia.
Putin focused on a number of pressing issues related to the West's stance on Russia and Moscow's ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.
Putin pointed out the West’s current goal is to destroy Russia, as they say openly that they managed to make the USSR collapse and now it’s time for Russia.
“The purpose of this West is to weaken, divide and ultimately destroy our country. They are already directly saying that in 1991 they were able to split the Soviet Union, and now the time has come for Russia itself, and that it should disintegrate into many mortally warring regions and regions,” the Russian president stressed.
According to him, such plans have been hatched in the West for a long time, as they encouraged gangs of international terrorists in the Caucasus, promoted the NATO offensive infrastructure close to the Russian borders and made total Russophobia their weapon.
RHM/PR