According to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal referring to its source, the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense is continuing to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to announce a new wave of mobilization. This push comes as the Kremlin seeks to compensate for losses suffered on the battlefield.
The WSJ, citing a source in Moscow, reports that in early 2024, the Defense Ministry leadership, led by Sergei Shoigu, proposed to Putin that a mobilization be conducted before his “inauguration.” However, Putin reportedly refused, insisting on using only volunteers who sign contracts.
In July, Putin attempted to increase troop numbers by doubling the one-time payment for new recruits to 400,000 rubles (approximately $4,300 USD). Now, according to the WSJ’s sources, the Russian Defense Ministry, under new leadership, is again experiencing manpower shortages. This lack of personnel is hampering Russia’s ability to organize a large counteroffensive in the Kursk region, where Ukraine controls territory captured one and a half months ago.
“More and more people are saying that mobilization is inevitable,” one of the WSJ’s sources stated.
The pressure for another wave of mobilization is intensified by the fact that the number of Russian war casualties has increased to over 1,000 a day, as per Ukraine’s General Staff. However, the Kremlin is wary that another mobilization could disrupt the Russian public’s perception of the war, creating political risks for Putin.
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