Mobilization according to the law: who, where and when will be called up in Russia

These and other questions are answered by the journalist Irina Mishina, Major General of the Federal Security Service of the Reserve Alexander Mikhailov.

Before partial mobilization, approximately 170,000 troops fought in the special operation zone. Why was it not enough to carry out combat missions? And why, instead of professional military men, or at least employees of law enforcement agencies, few trained men are mobilized into the special operation zone?

- New territories attached to Russia will inevitably create new lines of clashes. Plus, in these territories it is necessary to create new garrisons. In addition, the special operation has passed into the offensive stage, therefore, new reserves are needed. And much more is needed. For example, the commandant's service for the protection of the rear, the military communications service, engineering units, logistics units, since there are many more people and equipment on the front line. Do not forget that the Ukrainian side is attracting more and more mercenaries.

As you know, in the Red Army, before being sent to the front, fighters were trained for one and a half to two months. The courses of the red commanders lasted several years. What will be the use of sending people trained in just a month to the special operation zone? At the same time, it is known that the most elementary, basic training of the current Ukrainian recruits in the UK lasts at least 5 weeks. 1.5-2 months were allotted for training a Soviet infantryman in the Great Patriotic War. But now we are not forty-one, or what?

- Here it is appropriate to recall the words of Marshal Zhukov: "I and junior commanders command the army." It is precisely such junior commanders that are lacking today. But we must not forget that they were sent to the Great Patriotic War 17 years after the October Revolution, during which time it was hardly possible to create a powerful mobilization resource. Everyone was “stranded” to the front - both violinists and writers, giving out a sapper shovel and a pea coat. In general, there were people in the People's Militia without experience and training, and we don't know exactly how many of this militia died. Called the illiterate, not trained. Now, at least in this conscription wave, people with combat experience are being called. For them, it is only important to restore this experience and skills. We need people who know how to wield weapons, who once held them and now just need to restore their skills. We also need drivers. Do we have few drivers?

- Why do such monstrous overlays occur during partial mobilization? Every day there are reports of the call-up of disabled people (the last such case occurred on October 9 in Moscow, the summons was brought to a wheelchair user with SMA). There are reports of fathers with many children mobilized by mistake, IT people. A friend told me that they came with a summons from the military registration and enlistment office for her husband, who died 2 years ago ...

- Is it different in other spheres in the country? In addition, it is worth recalling that the system of military registration and enlistment offices was actually destroyed by Serdyukov, who “dispersed” everyone. At that time, we were convinced that this would never be needed again, as a result, now there is only 1 military enlistment office in any military registration and enlistment office: this is the military commissar. All the rest are civilians. It's always like this with us - as soon as a bandit gets into the school and arrange a shootout, we immediately start talking about the safety of children. When deciding on mobilization, one main factor plays a role today: whether a person is on military records or not. If the registration card is in place, they begin to work with the person. But the delivery of the agenda does not mean mobilization, we should not forget about this. After serving the summons, the person must appear at the military registration and enlistment office and discuss all topics, providing documents in case of reservation. Excesses in the work of military registration and enlistment offices can be explained simply. For the military registration and enlistment office, the main thing is to report to the higher authorities, and not to the prosecutor or to God. Many now do not live according to their conscience, but live by order, that's the problem.

How many waves of mobilization should we expect? Will the matter be limited to sending to the front in the coming weeks and months those 300,000 soldiers and reserve officers who have already been delivered or are being put into operation by the presidential decree of September 21, 2022? Or is it worth waiting for the second and third draft wave? Or maybe we need to prepare for a "point" mobilization?

- Now we have to wait for the results of the mobilization of the first wave. If everything goes according to plan, it may happen that everything will be limited to the first wave. But if anything, do not forget that there are enough contract soldiers in the Russian outback, they can be moved to the combat zone at any time. In addition, according to the Union Treaty with Belarus, both our countries are obliged to defend each other's territories in case of aggression. So the participation of the Belarusian military in the special operation is fully justified. Lukashenka, by the way, has already given the appropriate orders.

When you look at photos and videos of mobilized men - not very young, not very fit, with signs of a sedentary lifestyle - you think: what is the use of them on the front line? Won't they bring more benefits as IT people, salespeople, as fathers in the end?

- IT specialists are not a conscription zone. If an IT specialist is really a necessary specialist, he will be left in the workplace. I will say this about older people. Experience, including life experience, is very important for a normal organization. I have a familiar commander, aged, now he has been mobilized and appointed chief of staff of a motorized rifle regiment. And with his arrival, life there finally improved. He orders the right things: generators, saws, shovels for digging trenches. If the commander's head is in place, there will be fewer losses. The older generation, having gone through Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Chechnya, has experience and will help in organizing. An experienced commander will be able to read maps, recognize a sniper's prone positions, and use the fighters' maneuvers correctly. Suffice it to recall: when in 1942 experienced fighters began to be called up to the front, losses immediately fell.

Why are the regions fulfilling the mobilization plan so unevenly? To date, only every fourth region has announced the "implementation of the plan" for mobilization. There are 22 such regions in total. The remaining 67 regions of the Russian Federation (including new ones) are not yet coping with the task. So far, the mobilization plan, among others, is not being fully implemented in Moscow, the Moscow Region, St. Petersburg, and Dagestan.

- I'll start with Chechnya and Dagestan, which "gave" a lot of people as volunteers, so mobilization looks redundant there. I believe that in Moscow, many have a restriction on conscription. These are IT specialists, employees of the defense industry, banks. Petersburg is the “liberal capital” of Russia, there are traditionally many refuseniks there.

You have been in law enforcement agencies for almost 50 years, and you must certainly know the new commander of the special operation, Sergei Surovikin. What can you say about it?

- He is a tough, correct person, he has an excellent military education - a military school and two military academies behind him. He has extensive experience in combat operations in Tajikistan, Chechnya and Syria. It can break someone else's opinion. We should expect tough thoughtful actions from him.