Russia’s partial mobilisation: Who can be called up, and who is exempted

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare address to the nation announced the partial mobilisation of the country’s military on Wednesday.

“We are talking about partial mobilization, that is, only citizens who
are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above
all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military
specialty and relevant experience,” Putin said in his Wednesday morning address. 

Also Read | Russian President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilisation of 300,000 troops

Following up after the Russian President, defence minister Sergei Shoigu said that 300,000 reservists would be called up in total. He added that only those with relevant combat and service experience would be called to serve.

According to Shoigu, the Eurasian nation has 25 million people who fit that category of which only 1% would be called upon. Finally, the defence minister said that thus far, Russia had lost 5,937 soldiers since the conflict began back in February. Experts and analysts say the number reported by Russia is far lower than Western estimates, which put the number at several tens of thousands. 

Also Read | Russia’s Vladimir Putin announces ‘partial mobilisation’: What it means

In addition, professional soldiers who have signed contracts with the army will no longer be able to terminate them unless the partial mobilisation decree is lifted. These soldiers will be able to be dismissed only on the grounds of age, health or prison time. 

Those excluded from the conscription include those who have been in the army for just 12 months as well as students. Civilians currently employed by defence companies also retain the right to deferment as long as they stay employed at those companies. 

Following the announcement, a petition which has 140,000 signatures thus far was created on Change.org opposing the mobilisation order.

The petition, titled “Against partial and total mobilization” said the following:

“On September 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin announced the start of partial mobilization throughout Russia. Only those citizens who are in the reserve and, above all, those who served in the ranks of the armed forces, have certain military specialties, will be subject to conscription for military service.”

“We, the citizens of Russia, women and men, oppose general and partial mobilization. President Vladimir Putin has no legal grounds, weighted and well-reasoned reasons for announcing it, and cannot have any.”

“In the current situation of uncertainty, we are not ready to expose the men of our country —brothers, sons, husbands, fathers and grandfathers—to moral or physical danger.”