On Sunday, Russia’s two most senior MPs responded to a number of concerns about the mobilisation effort by directing local officials to quickly resolve the “excesses” that have incited public outrage.
As a result of President Vladimir Putin’s decision to call Russia’s first military mobilisation since World War Two, there have been demonstrations across the nation and large numbers of men of military age have fled, resulting in long lines at the border and sold-out flights.
Numerous reports have also shown that draught papers have been given to people who have never served in the military, in defiance of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s promise that only those with combat experience or special military skills would be called up. This has caused even the most ardent supporters of the Kremlin to publicly express their concern.
The public’s ire at the way the mobilisation campaign was going was specifically addressed by Russia’s top two lawmakers, both staunch Putin friends.
The Federation Council’s chairwoman, Valentina Matviyenko, acknowledged hearing rumours that males who shouldn’t be eligible for the draught were being called up.
Such excesses must stop immediately. And I think it’s totally appropriate that they’re getting a strong response from people in society, she wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging service.
