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© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Russia's call-up splits EU; Ukraine says it shows weakness
By JON GAMBRELL and ADAM SCHRECK KYIV, Ukraine©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
61 Comments
Mr Kipling
More than doubling your fighting force is a sign of weakness? Really? More a sign of resolve to get the job done.
Bob Fosse
Obviously. It’s a sign that Russia have achieved little in 6 months and suffered huge losses.
Even Russians can see this now. It’s exceedingly odd that you cant.
JRO
It's a show of weakness in a sense that it was never planned to happen, they called it a special operation and kept their official losses to the hundreds, just so they could pass it off to Russians that they were liberating Ukraine and that the Ukraine people wanted them there. This is Putins last resort, he knows this will be extremely unpopular, but it's all he can do, if he leaves Ukraine without anything he can pass of as a victory, he is as good as dead.
ian
Mobilizing troops is a sign of weakness?
Lol
ok1517
Siberia, Dagestan and many more areas to come!
The so-called Russian Federation is falling apart, as is Putin's dream to conquer more land mass that doesn't belong to him!
Concerning the mobilization: inexperienced, under-equipped, low moral man pressed to participate in this war. Drunk to begin with, fighting eachother, surrendering, escaping to other countries - quite something.
In reference to the "referendums" - shipping people to the area to "vote" with "Yes", threatening those who are unwilling to participate - what a great sign (Not!!!) of a democracy!
Besides, Lavrov, another deranged one given the opportunity to have a press conference - Russia should be kicked out of the UN (by the way, pretty toothless organization, like Amnesty International and the IRCR).
Haaa Nemui
Man… Russia won’t be able to afford all the metal for the amount of “Hero of Russia” medals they’re gonna be giving out posthumously.
obladi
This suggests that some AU countries support the draft, but this quote from Lithuania
would have been a better title for the article
fallaffel
EU should welcome these draft dodgers with open arms.
And yes, of course mobilization is a sign of weakness, especially after the Kremlin promised that there wouldn't be any mobilization. They are acknowledging they can't "get the job done" without it.
UChosePoorly
Looks like the Ukrainians are on the move again around Lyman.
Bob Fosse
Using up old munitions and equipment. I see.
Not much of a morale booster for the tens of thousands of Russian soldiers already dead.
Why haven’t Russia updated their casualty statistics since March?
Did he just buy the hi-tech stuff from Kim?
Antiquesaving
Didn't Ukraine pass a law blocking all men between 18 and 60 from leaving Ukraine back in March?
I wounder why Ukraine doing it is building their forces wasn't a sign of weakness but Russia doing it a sign of weakness as so many are saying.
Russia is calling up reserves to take position in the rear mostly in Russia so that the actual battle read troops now in the rear can be sent forward.
This means that once in place Russia will have 4 times the present front line fighting force.
At least that was how a few USA military experts explained it on MSM on multiple news programs from CNN to Fox.
Now look at the results of Ukraine blocking Men from leaving and increasing their fighting force.
Now think 300,000 more in Russia's army with winter fast approaching and 90% chance Russia will cut the power from the electrical stations it controls and cut off gas.
Remember Ukraine is still getting gas from Russia and selling it to its neighbours, that will end.
It is going to be a long and troubled winter, get ready for high fuel and food prices and low supply.
tooheysnew
yes
one-eyed anti-west crowd will never see it - odd indeed
oh, so these six months, he’s been playing games !? what a great strategist he is.
no, he’ll suffer sudden heart failure
Mark
""Although the European Union is now largely off limits to most Russians, with direct flights stopped and its land borders increasingly closed to them, an exodus of Russian men fleeing military service is creating divisions among European officials over whether they should be granted safe haven.""
Open these borders, it is a big mistake to block Russians from leaving their homeland, the more they flee the less soldiers their is on the battlefield.
Ukraine should offer amnesty to any Russian soldier or fighting age person who wishes to flee his country too.
fallaffel
Ok, maybe weakness is the wrong word. It's an act of desperation.
Russia is not just Putin.
Cards fan
Well let's see, Russia, a nation of 140 million had failed to take over Ukraine, a country of only 40,000,000.
Russia was too cowardly to declare war on Ukraine, so they called it a "special operation" instead. They expected the conflict to be over with within a few weeks. Clearly that didn't happen now, and clearly they've lost a lot of troops and equipment, so clearly then mobilizing troops for a "special operation" is an admission of weakness, of failure to achieve their goals.
Also, it was Russia that chose to do the invading too, so there's that as well.
Yes, poorly equipped, poorly disciplined, and poorly motivated troops. Cannon fodder.
Whatever harm is caused by power disruption in Ukraine will undoubtedly be even worse for the Russian invaders. Invading forces fare even worse in winter months. They'll be sitting ducks for himars.
RichardPearce
When Russia realized that all diplomatic efforts to get Zelensky to not create a humanitarian catastrophe literally on the border of Russia were getting nowhere, it figured it was down to an unfortunate temporary confluence of domestic politics in the US and EU and that if it gave them a bit of political cover (pointing out those symbols and links to the losing side of WW2 amongst the ultraextremists Zelensky was empowering) a demonstration of the unpopularity of Zelensky's regime in eastern Ukraine, and, by quickly destroying Zelensky's ability to make and maintain military equipment and ammunition, making it insanely expensive for them to prolong the pretence that Zelensky had any chance of keeping power in the industrial and agricultural heartland of the former Ukraine, they'd change their stances to reasonable ones.
Unfortunately, they haven't, choosing to spend billions delaying the inevitable, and causing untold suffering for Ukrainians on both sides.
So they're going to answer Zelensky's (doomed) surge with one of their own (maintainable) surge as a double blow (The economic one that the 'sanctions' are inflicting on the American and European economies, plus the military ones on Zelensky's fighters)
noriahojanen
The latest update is that Russia is now calling up about 1 million reserves or more. At the same time, they have claimed that 5,000+ have been dead since February.
I only wonder why they need 1 million men to cover the only 5,000 losses. A typical Russian lie or joke :)
rainyday
When you have to resort to handing rusted out ancient rifles to a gaggle of 50 year old drunks with their pants around their ankles to replace the army that you just lost....yeah, that is a sign of weakness.
rainyday
Good question.
When Ukraine did it at the start of the war, Ukraine was in fact weak. The Russian army was on the march and everyone expected them to overpower the much smaller and more poorly equipped Ukrainian army. So yes, Ukrainian mobilizing at the time was a move done out of weakness.
And by the same token, Russia doing the same thing today is also a sign of weakness. It doesn't have much of the army that it sent in back in February left anymore on the one hand, and that Ukrainian army that seemed so weak at the start of the war has proven itself quite adept at blowing up everything the Russians send against them, thanks to their higher morale, greater competence and ample supply of much more advanced weaponry from their friends in NATO.
So you are correct, both mobilizations were done out of weakness. In February it was Ukraine, in September it is Russia.
tooheysnew
Wishful thinking on your part (& Putin’s)
if you did some research, you’d know that Europe’s gas reserves are nearing 90% capacity, which should be enough to see them through the winter
300,000 men who are under trained, under equipped & unmotivated.
yes, this had nothing to do with Putin’s invasion did it.
you do know all this suffering would stop if Putin swallowed his pride & withdrew his forces.
But you don’t want that do you ?
wtfjapan
Mobilizing troops is a sign of weakness?
it is when Putin promised his citizens that only current conscripts would be used,
now hes drafting regular Russians, 1000s of which are refusing and leaving
itsonlyrocknroll
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died
And the general sat
And the lines on the map
Moved from side to side
George Roger Waters, Richard William Wright, Us and Them
These so-called mobilized recruits, reportedly handed rusty AK47's, are front rank cannon fodder, young men forced to give there lives for a cause none believe in.
The tyrant dictator at the rear, a deranged ego, screaming forward, will sooner or later be held accountable if there is any justice left in this god forsaken world
smithinjapan
I hope when the families of these mostly everyday Russian Joes are told their sons/husbands/fathers/brothers are dead start to ask why, and move to end Putin's rule. That's all the 300,000 are going to be -- cannon fodder. Put those seeds in your pockets, boys... help someone to grow when you're in the ground.
smithinjapan
"More than doubling your fighting force is a sign of weakness? Really?"
Yes, and so is the inability to see it as such. Well, mental weakness at least. These are CONSCRIPTS, many of whom will be bordering or over 60 years old. They'll get ancient weapons and told to stand at the front, and they will simply be killed right out, or else run and hope the Ukrainians will give them refuge.
Antiquesaving
Cards fan
Not debating the crazy reasons or what Russia did we all know it was wrong.
I am pointing out facts.
Now despite the on paper strength the actual ready to fight troops of any country is a fraction.
Look at the USA in Afghanistan just a tiny fraction was available to go fight.
People point out that Russia mobilized 200,000 troops, well only about 60,000 ( according to the USA) were actually sent front the rest held back to protect supply lines and the Russian border. (So Ukraine claims of 80,000 killed wounded is strange).
The poorly equipmed poorly trained, blah blah blah is strange as we heard this despite that Russia still hold 20% of Ukraine and despite the advances by Ukraine that hasn't really changed much.
The reality is Ukraine called up more men, got weapons and made advances, now Russia is doing the same but the troops being called up will not go to the front they will replace the read that are active military that will move up
Freeing up between 100,000 and 150,000 active troops and fully equipped.
These are the realities not wishful thinking.
Russia is not defeated not by a long shot, remember Ukraine had been pounding the separatist areas for 8 years unable to budge them now they are backed up by Russian troops nothing is really going to move much either way.
And once winter comes Russia will cut the power, so unless you or others think Ukraine can do in 2 to 3 months what it couldn't in 8 years the facts the reality is Russia will keep hold of most of the territory it holds, Russia will cut the power and gas to Ukraine and the west and it will be a very very bad winter for all.
This is just reality not pro Russian as I pointed out I don't like Russia or Ukraine, I point out the reality and those are the facts. Based on western analysis.
Antiquesaving
I would like the Old rusted riffle and old equipment claimers to give facts not their speculation.
Remember the Taliban kicked USA a.. with Pakistani made RPG and AKs.
But can anyone point to a factual source and not just a rumour or guess?
I am seriously asking as all I find is guessing and western propaganda but no facts.
itsonlyrocknroll
Maybe it is all propaganda, Antiquesaving
Russian conscripts sent into Ukraine with RUSTY AKs: Civilian reservists forced to join Putin's war machine are handed worn out weapons before heading to frontline
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
It would not be the first time, if it isn't these young men have been shameless betrayed. and left to die needlessly cruelly alone on some foreign battle field.
rainyday
Yes, we have video evidence of the rusted rifles:
https://twitter.com/christogrozev/status/1573650479799799809
And video evidence of the mobilization of T-62 tanks which are over 60 years old:
https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1572886952319528960
It took the Taliban 20 years to do so, and they were never able to inflict anywhere near the type of damage on the Americans that the Ukrainians are inflicting on the Russians.
Oh wait, in your analogy the Russians are the Taliban, right? Interesting.
Antiquesaving
So that is your proof?
Twitter is a verified Source?
I once saw an Obama speech sent via Twitter saying some crazy stuff.
Well surprise surprise it was fake.
I saw a video proving Putin was an alien showing him alive in uniform in 1917, guess that was real, right?
stormcrow
Further proof that Putin misjudged Ukraine and that Russia is (at the moment) losing. Putin is stunned.
Antiquesaving
A simple question.
Since 2014 Ukraine has been trying to retake the separatist regions with no success.
Do you honestly believe that now with the Russian army backing them up Ukraine is not only going to take it back but as Zelensky says also take Crimea?
Do you really think that is possible?
And if so, before winter and Russia cuts of gass and electricity?
An honest answer would be appreciated.
wallace
The Taliban did not kick out the Americans in Afghanistan. After 20 years they decided it was enough and left.
Yrral
Mussolini in a skirt,poise to PM of Italy ,leading in the balloting
rainyday
Proof? No. Evidence? Yes.
I put links to Twitter because it was the easiest place to access the videos. The rusted rifles and the use of T-62s have been widely reported in the media, but since its only been in Western news sources I assume you'll just denounce them as fake anyway....
Hey, guess what? Just because you saw something untrue on Twitter doesn't mean that everything on Twitter is by definition false just because it has been shared by someone on Twitter. If there is something wrong with the videos, other than the fact that they were shared on Twitter, please let me know.
Antiquesaving
Nice alternative history!
So I guess like Vietnam, declare victory and run.
Ok I guess if you want to say they weren't.
Haaa Nemui
My honest answer is this.
I didn't think Ukraine would be able to hold on as long as they have already. They have completely surprised me. I don't know whether they can take back everything, or even anything more. That said, Russia has failed its citizens (more accurately, Putin has failed Russia's citizens). Russia invaded Ukraine based on a lie, and then another lie, and another lie. If Ukraine lies to defend itself (and that maybe what this is but it's Russia that is mobilizing its citizens to continue an invasion of a foreign nation), then I am absolutely behind them. Russia has been made to look like a joke. As noriahojanen said earlier, "a typical Russian lie or joke". I will always back Ukraine on this, whether I think they have a chance or not.
rainyday
This is a reasonable question.
There are actually two sides to that equation. Yes, the Donbass seperatists now have the Russian army supporting them openly on the one hand, which they didn't before. But on the other the Ukrainians are now mobilized and receiving support from NATO on a much larger scale than they were before February.
I don't realistically see the Ukrainians taking Crimea anytime soon, but the Donbass is a different story. The Russian collapse in Kharkiv has put them in a much more vulnerable position than they were a month ago. And the Russian military performance has been so egregiously awful that the Ukrainians could conceivably continue pushing them back in Luhansk and Donetsk. I don't know if that will happen - the weather is about to change which will make a Ukrainian offensive much more difficult, and the Russians might learn from the mistakes that led to their defeat in Kharkiv and take steps to avoid a repeat. But its not impossible.
Antiquesaving
Thank you for a fact based reply with well thought out answer and justification.
It is nice to see that and not just personal attacks like some here.
Alex
Vietnam version 2
Antiquesaving
Actually if Russia loses it will be version 4!
USSR Afghanistan was version 2 and USA Afghanistan was version 3.
JTC
Why is Russia calling up so many, when it could simply Nuke Ukraine out of existence ?
Haaa Nemui
Nuking Ukraine would also mean the end for Russia. No winners. Russia's only win in this is to call everything off... but that would also show the Russian people exactly how much of a loser Putin is and how much he has failed them. So Putin will keep this going until someone takes him out from inside Russia, whether by a political overthrow or by some other means. That's becoming more and more likely as things progress.
itsonlyrocknroll
antiquesavings, i believe this war is unwinnable, honour and trust has evaporated.
The EU/UK economies are racked with uncertainly, energy prices have or soon will condemn families into fuel poverty. It is surely a bleak mid winter on the horizon.
The only way this war will end is through a negotiated settlement, how such a scenario will be achieved could well amount to wishful thinking.
How Crimea's Complex History With Russia Dates Back to the 19th Century
https://www.history.com/news/crimea-russia-ukraine-annexation
Crimea is a case in question? Crimea is not some trinket that can be taken bargained or handed back.
A 1997 treaty with Ukraine allowed Russia to keep its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, under a lease that has been extended until 2042.
The Russian separatists will need some form of autonomy, a settlement could be thrashed out under the stewardship of the EU Commission with the backing of the ECJ.
However the Russian Army would have to withdraw, from the separatist regions as an act of goodwill to be replaced by an agreed independent peacekeeping force.
That would entail a total ceasefire, a buffer zone created, and a withdrawal of all heavy weapons. All of which would have to be independently verified.
antiquesavings I will only offer a honest opinion, always, as a humble opinion it is not given to be correct.
I just want this war to end.
wallace
Antiquesaving 10:41 am JST
*
*
You are incorrect
America was not defeated by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Trump, when he was president, decided it was time to bring the troops home. That is not a win or a defeat. America could have continued to waste money and stay. Many of the Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders were killed.
There was no mention of Vietnam in my comment so do not add something I did not post.
Antiquesaving
Thank you for the very clear and we'll thought out reply, I agree with most as well I don't see any of it happening anytime soon.
starpunk
Poor Puddy-Pie. He thought it would be all wrapped up by now. Now it's the autumn season and the sanctions are already kicking in. It's Rosh Hoshana today and I don't think any Jewish soldiers are happy today. And the Christmas season is coming up in a few months, nobody wants to spend those days dodging bullets from Ukrainian guerillas in a city - do they?
More body bags, caskets, MIAs, defections. And now Putin is calling more Russian men into doing what the army has been doing and messing up at. The Russian civilians are pissed, they don't want to get injured or die in a non-defensive war. It is unwarranted, they ain't defending themselves from the armies of Napoleon or Hitler and they know it.
'Ukraine says', Ukraine KNOWS.
starpunk
Reagan/Bush 1 + Gorbachev buried the Cold War hatchet in late 1989. They all knew that a nuclear war is unwinnable. Besides, we now have the weapon technology of cyberwar and Russia sure has been waging that on so many countries over the years. They installed TreasonTrump into the WH by that manner, that's right Virginia. They overthrew the U.S.A. in 2016.
And they employed the same techniques on Ukraine before launching a physical assault, but the Ukrainians were ready and they're giving the Russian Army hell. And Putin has mud all over his face now!
PTownsend
But Russia(the USSR) was on the winning side in Vietnam.
Stewie
So a contract, trained, and properly equipped army can not make any more headway. But now we have an untrained, poorly equipped army of conscripts who don't want to be there that will turn the tide.
The logic of this is laughable.
PTownsend
The globe for far too long has been controlled by the fossils running the petrochemical economy, it's long passed time for people living in democracies to vote out the fossil era fossils and come up with alternatives to burning huge amounts of oil and gas and then fighting wars over them.
Yrral
The country that is the most miserable at Christmas, is the you want to have a more mature debate about Ukraine their is no censorship or petty moderator Google 19fortyfive.com
rainyday
This honestly sounds similar to the pro-Putin fanboys insisting Russia is not losing in Ukraine.
The Taliban clearly won that war, the US clearly lost. The goal of the US in that war was to prevent the collapse of the Afghan government it supported and prevent the Taliban from returning to power. The outcome of the war was the exact opposite of that.
I give the US some points for finally accepting the reality that it couldn't win in Afghanistan and leaving instead of just dragging it on for another generation, but you have to call a spade a spade. The US lost that war.
Axel
We all know USA, UK, France and Germany are irreconcilably hostile to democracy unless it's their kind of democracy where one votes when they tell you to vote and vote for who they tell you to vote for. (and it should be noted that once again, Lenin is proven right. In this case how he said when major imperialist powers conduct themselves in such a way abroad, the same measures are inevitably at home.)
With small countries it comes with the threat of military violence and then actual military violence if the threats aren't enough. Fortunately, the Russians don't care. They are going to ensure the people of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donbass can exercise their democratic rights. Democratic rights which Western powers seized from them 8 years ago.
As for the protests in Russia, I'm not naive enough to ask why it is but I would just point out that much larger protests are ongoing and have been for over a month in Moldova but us lucky people who have access to "the free press" (really Orwellian) don't hear about that.
John-San
No send them back. They been sitting on their hand instead voicing their opposition to the war until it effect them directly so ran for the borders. Send them back and see how long they supported Putin war. It to the Ukrainian advantage to have disgruntled citizen of Russia in Russia not Germany.
Antiquesaving
Sure, and that is why Australia has shut coal fired power plants that were clean compared to their increased shipments of their coal to China that has far dirtier coal use.
Why Canada pledges to cut it's use of oil while increasing sales to China , India and others with far lower environmental standards.
When the west like UK, Norway, Canada, Australia stop producing and selling to places like China, then perhaps we can talk about talk about it.
Nemo
7 months into a 3 day “special operation”, Russia is so strong, it’s drafting people to replace the massive casualties that it supposedly didn’t have, putting them in obsolete vehicles that have been in storage for decades and threatening nuclear release (because THAT’s what tough guy countries do).
Yeah, that makes total sense.
John-San
Rainyday: like the Afghans have never been defeat. I know the history of these conflicts and shook my head in amazement when the USA when in. And what was the was thing they captured? The $20 billion stockpile of opium which just magical disappeared with no trace where it went.
Antiquesaving
"Sure and the last time I was in Vegas I didn't lose at roulette, I just chose to walk away and let the house have a break!"
Said the gambler
wallace
Countries buying Russian gas
Crude oil is 50% of fuel exports. Pipeline gas 25%.
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/whos-still-buying-fossil-fuels-from-russia/
There are 16 coal-fired power plants in Australia, notes ABC News, with seven scheduled to close by 2035.
Australia currently has 72 new coal projects and 44 new gas and oil projects under development, and several new gas basins – including the Beetaloo and Canning gas basins – where development is being actively supported by Governments, including through large government subsidies.