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2022-09-21 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Putin Orders Partial Military Mobilization Amid Setbacks In Ukraine, Warns West 'It's Not A Bluff
[Radio Free Europe] Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial military mobilization in Russia as his invasion of Ukraine nears seven months and Kyiv regains territory in its counteroffensive.

Putin also warned the West that "it's not a bluff" that Russia would use all the means at its disposal to protect its territory.

Putin's address, broadcast to the nation on September 21, comes a day after Russian-occupied regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold votes on being incorporated into Russia, triggering outrage and condemnations not only in Kyiv but from much of the international community.

Analysts say the Kremlin-backed efforts to swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war following Ukrainian successes on the battlefield.

The referendums, which have been expected to take place since the first months of the war, will start on September 23 in the Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, and Donetsk regions.

In his address, Putin accused the West of engaging in "nuclear blackmail" and claimed, without providing proof, that "high-ranking representatives of the leading NATO states" had allegedly made statements "about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia."

"To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of NATO countries. When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal," Putin said, adding, "It's not a bluff."

Found in the hopper when I woke up this morning at 10:20 a.m. ET
— from Skidmark, the Daily Mail’s take:
Terrified Russians race to flee the country in bid to dodge Putin's army call-up, with one-way flights selling out and Google searches for 'how to leave' surging
You midnight party girl
And from Snash Shairt9621, the AyPee’s:
Putin sets partial mobilization in Russia, threatens enemies
Posted by Besoeker 2022-09-21 03:26|| || Front Page|| [11149 views ]  Top

#1 Putin's NUCLEAR threat to the West: Vladimir warns Ukraine's allies he will use 'weapons of destruction', announces mobilisation of another 300,000 troops and declares 'I am NOT bluffing'
Posted by Skidmark 2022-09-21 07:28||   2022-09-21 07:28|| Front Page Top

#2 'Your cities will be targeted': Screaming former Putin advisor warns president is ready to NUKE Britain if it continues to be an 'aggressor' in extraordinary rant on BBC Today Programme
Posted by Skidmark 2022-09-21 07:29||   2022-09-21 07:29|| Front Page Top

#3 From the Facebook page of Russian military correspondent Aleksandr Kots:

⚡️Putin announced partial mobilization:

The conscription to military service will be subject only to citizens who are currently in the reserves and primarily those who have served in the Armed Forces, have certain military accounting specialties and relevant experience.

Conscripted to military service will necessarily undergo additional military training, given the experience of special military operations before sending to units.

The mobilization activities are starting today.
· ·

Total this round is 300,000.
Posted by badanov 2022-09-21 07:35||   2022-09-21 07:35|| Front Page Top

#4 Putin's address, broadcast to the nation

'Doctors were called to Putin who suffered coughing fit amid chaotic scenes behind TV address threatening to deploy nukes, which saw three key figures including economic chief threaten to quit'
Posted by Skidmark 2022-09-21 07:38||   2022-09-21 07:38|| Front Page Top

#5 Unknown as to whether the call ups will round out lower readiness units, or will be fillers.
Posted by badanov 2022-09-21 07:40||   2022-09-21 07:40|| Front Page Top

#6 Unknown as to whether the call ups will round out lower readiness units, or will be fillers.

With the casualties they have taken I would say "Both".
Posted by DarthVader 2022-09-21 07:49||   2022-09-21 07:49|| Front Page Top

#7 Why mobilization? Because Russia wanted a short, cheap war - analysis
Posted by Skidmark 2022-09-21 08:23||   2022-09-21 08:23|| Front Page Top

#8 Vlad is going to have to put every last one of them to the sword. It will take centuries for the hate he has created to end.
Posted by Besoeker 2022-09-21 08:32||   2022-09-21 08:32|| Front Page Top

#9 Russian business paper RBC says that all tickets for direct flights today and tomorrow from Moscow to Istanbul, Yerevan, Tashkent and Baku have sold out
Posted by DarthVader 2022-09-21 08:46||   2022-09-21 08:46|| Front Page Top

#10 He sounds like Obama: "Don't call my bluff!"

Sounding like Obama is not the mark of a strong, confident leader.
Posted by Rob Crawford 2022-09-21 09:19||   2022-09-21 09:19|| Front Page Top

#11 ....These are reports I'm seeing from some folks I consider reliable:

Sept 21 (Reuters) - One-way flights out of Russia were selling out fast on Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin ordered the immediate call-up of 300,000 reservists.

Direct flights from Moscow to Istanbul in Turkey and Yerevan in Armenia, both destinations that allow Russians to enter without a visa, were sold out on Wednesday, according to Aviasales data.

MOSCOW'S MOBILIZATION:

Muscovites have reported the following:

'A military patrol is already walking down Lenin Street, stopping people and issuing summonses. Beware!'

'They just took three guys from Lermontov Street and put them into a military detachment.'

Kyrgyz embassy in Moscow releases a statement warning Kyrgyz citizens to stay away from Russian army recruiters and contact the embassy if they’ve received draft notices

Reported that in Russian social media people have started calling the ”mobilizatsiya” (mobilization) ”mogilizatsiya” instead. ”Mogila” is Russian for grave.

Starting to remember the definition of a Russian Comedy.

Mike
Posted by MikeKozlowski 2022-09-21 09:27||   2022-09-21 09:27|| Front Page Top

#12 Set as today’s headline. Good find, Besoeker, followed by the kind of informed discussion that people come to Rantburg for.

Well done, all! :-)
Posted by trailing wife 2022-09-21 10:04||   2022-09-21 10:04|| Front Page Top

#13 Mike -- sounds more like a press gang than a mobilization of reserves.
Posted by Rob Crawford 2022-09-21 10:26||   2022-09-21 10:26|| Front Page Top

#14 It will take centuries for the hate he has created to end.

I believe the organizers call that Bonus Points.
Posted by swksvolFF 2022-09-21 10:30||   2022-09-21 10:30|| Front Page Top

#15 The Russians Spent Months Forming A The Third Army Corps. It Lasted Days in Ukraine.
Posted by DarthVader 2022-09-21 10:41||   2022-09-21 10:41|| Front Page Top

#16 Kots says the new call up is less than one percent of the total reserves.
Posted by badanov 2022-09-21 10:44||   2022-09-21 10:44|| Front Page Top

#17 less than one percent of the total reserves

If you want to go as far back as pre 1989. A more realistic number is for those who served in the last 5 years is 1 million.
Posted by Snash Shairt9621 2022-09-21 10:54||   2022-09-21 10:54|| Front Page Top

#18 Criteria for Russian mobilization:
1. Who served.
2. Who has a military specialty that is needed now (which one is needed now is classified).
3. And most importantly. Who has BATTLE EXPERIENCE.

Kinda narrows down the 1 million number even more, esp #3.
Posted by Snash Shairt9621 2022-09-21 10:59||   2022-09-21 10:59|| Front Page Top

#19 If they're grabbing people off the street, it argues against a selective mobilization.
Posted by Rob Crawford 2022-09-21 11:06||   2022-09-21 11:06|| Front Page Top

#20 One of the reasons to annex Kherson and Zaporizhzhya is so the Russians can draft the men like they do in Donbass.

Was watching a video of a Donbass girl complaining there were no men left in her town, only 14-15 year old boys. This is widespread throughout the Donbass and kills 2 birds with one stone for the Kremlin. Cannon fodder for the Russians and a conquered land denuded of men that the Russians can colonize with proper Russians.
Posted by Snash Shairt9621 2022-09-21 11:19||   2022-09-21 11:19|| Front Page Top

#21 "only 14-15 year old boys."

Volkssturm fodder
Posted by European Conservative 2022-09-21 11:27||   2022-09-21 11:27|| Front Page Top

#22 One writers view with some interesting points.

Quara - What will be the most significant long-term consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine?
Posted by Besoeker 2022-09-21 11:43||   2022-09-21 11:43|| Front Page Top

#23 who has battle experience

"A veteran infantryman is a terrified infantryman."
Posted by Matt 2022-09-21 11:49||   2022-09-21 11:49|| Front Page Top

#24 Everyone has been talking about how winter is going to be super-harsh in a Europe without fuel.

Nobody is talking about how harsh it will be for troops in the field. If the Ukrainians make vodka available to be found half the Russian military may freeze to death during the winter.
Posted by ruprecht 2022-09-21 12:47||   2022-09-21 12:47|| Front Page Top

#25 Because the British disinformation office don’t told you the reasons regarding Putin speech. I think that Russia doesn't have a problem with manpower because of casualty rates as most of their forces sit miles away from the front line in the artillery corps. Less than 6000 casualties versus close to 90000 dead Ukrainian

The problem is the 6 month tour of duty has finalised and many have taken the cash and do not want to return.

Also, the legal status of the Special Military Operation places strict parameters on who and how many regular Russian defence forces can be recruited.

Russia will need to change the legal status of the SMO and may need to start using their regular forces.

By conducting a referendums and including the dombas region into the territory of Russia it allows the regular defence forces to be mobilised.
I think this is the reason why President Putin made the announcement
Posted by ACA JOE 2022-09-21 13:13||   2022-09-21 13:13|| Front Page Top

#26 I'll take "Maskirovka" for $600, Alex.
Posted by DooDahMan 2022-09-21 13:15||   2022-09-21 13:15|| Front Page Top

#27 Russians reported that they pulled out of Drobysheve.

The path to surround Lyman is now open.
Posted by DarthVader 2022-09-21 14:38||   2022-09-21 14:38|| Front Page Top

#28 That also turns any potential Russian defensive line along the reservoirs north of there.
Posted by Nero 2022-09-21 14:47||   2022-09-21 14:47|| Front Page Top

#29  Less than 6000 casualties...

Bull. You have to be a moron to accept that number.
Posted by Rob Crawford 2022-09-21 15:37||   2022-09-21 15:37|| Front Page Top

#30 Was watching a video of a Donbass girl complaining there were no men left in her town, only 14-15 year old boys.

The most fertile and frequent ejaculaters.
Posted by Skidmark 2022-09-21 15:44||   2022-09-21 15:44|| Front Page Top

#31 Russians say that the shortfall in manpower can be directly attributed to Russian contract soldiers not renewing their contracts to serve.
Posted by badanov 2022-09-21 17:21||   2022-09-21 17:21|| Front Page Top

#32 Russians say lots of shit, badanov.
Posted by Rob Crawford 2022-09-21 19:18||   2022-09-21 19:18|| Front Page Top

#33 So do the Ukrainians, Rob.
Posted by badanov 2022-09-21 19:43||   2022-09-21 19:43|| Front Page Top

#34 Russians in revolt: More than 800 arrests are made while anti-war protestors are dragged away by officers in blacked-out helmets after taking to the streets in 37 cities following Putin's decision to mobilise the country due to heavy losses in Ukraine
Posted by Cletle Shinese1880 2022-09-21 21:11||   2022-09-21 21:11|| Front Page Top

#35 So do the ...

Their armies may be similar (big Soviet army vs small Soviet army), but the way each side fights the media war could not be more different. Simply put, the Russians lie by ommision, while the Ukrainians simply make things up Ghost of Kiev style. Which brings us to the casualty numbers...

Around 6K for the Russians is plausible. You do not have to be a moron to believe this, but you do need to know the trick: this is just the Russian forces and does not include the LPR & DPR militias who have been handling the bulk infantry combat in the Donbas while the Russians run the artillery further back from the front. We look at this as Rus vs Ukr, but from a combat point of view, it is Rus + LPR + DPR vs Ukr*.
I have not seen reliable numbers for DPR/LPR casualties.

* Plus misc. NATO 'advisors'
Posted by SteveS 2022-09-21 21:43||   2022-09-21 21:43|| Front Page Top

09:27 Warthog
09:11 Mercutio
09:07 AlmostAnonymous5839
08:52 Matt
08:24 Matt
08:20 SteveS
07:43 Procopius2k
07:42 BrerRabbit
07:42 Procopius2k
07:39 Procopius2k
07:36 Procopius2k
07:35 Procopius2k
07:34 trailing wife
07:31 Procopius2k
07:30 NN2N1
07:22 NN2N1
07:18 trailing wife
07:14 Richard Aubrey
07:10 NN2N1
07:09 Besoeker
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06:58 NN2N1
06:58 Besoeker
05:28 Whiskey Mike









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