mobilization briefs
October 8, 2022

Summary of mobilization in Russian Federation for October 6-7

Putin signed a law on loan deferment for the mobilized. Also, he signed a law relieving the mobilized citizens and their families from paying fines and late fees on rent and utility bills. In addition, Putin signed a law on labor rights of those who were called up during the “partial” mobilization or who entered a military service contract. Among other things, the law mandates suspension of the mobilized worker’s employment agreement for the duration of his military service.

Andrei Gurulev, a member of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, stated: “The training of the mobilized and formation of the new units would take at least two months. The existing forces would need to hold the front line during this time.” Another Duma member, the delegate from Putin’s United Russia party Andrei Kartapolov, explained why the Duma didn’t address the rights of the mobilized in advance: “To look ahead is not the delegates’ job.”

The internet portal Obyasnyaem (Let’s explain).rf listed acceptable excuses for not appearing before the draft board upon receiving military summons. For example, “circumstances beyond your control, a natural disaster” would justify a failure to show up. Supporting documentation would be required for the excuse to be considered valid.

The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media reacted to yesterday’s statement by the lawyer Pavel Chikov that mobilization-related complaints entered via the Gosuslugi (Government Services) portal remain unanswered. The Ministry promises to fix the service. As Chikov himself writes, the complaints that originated in St. Petersburg are already being processed.

The wives of the mobilized who have children may see their workweeks shortened to 35 hours with full pay, writes the Izvestiya daily. The ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia intends to introduce a bill to that effect before the State Duma next week.

The situation in the Altai Republic differs noticeably from other regions. According to senator Vladimir Poletaev, not a single person was mobilized in the region so far. As explained by the governor’s press-secretary, the residents subject to military service were handed mobilization assignments, a detachment was formed, and it will be departed upon “the receipt of necessary instructions”. In Krasnoyarsk region, the governor’s press service reported that the regional plan on partial mobilization was fulfilled. In Novosibirsk, the process of distributing summonses is ongoing despite the statement by governor Travnikov on the completion of “the first stage of mobilization”. In addition, about 350 residents of Novosibirsk region received an exemption from mobilization.

Fitness clubs have again asked the government to grant an exemption from mobilization to owners, shareholders and chief accountants of sports and recreation institutions. Earlier, representatives of the industry petitioned for draft exemption for trainers and instructors noting that 70 percent of male workers employed in this sector of the economy fall under the category of the prospective mobilized.

The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources proposed to exempt sanitation workers and refuse collector truck drivers from mobilization. At the same time in Moscow utility workers were called in to work under the pretext of an urgent assignment to distribute summonses to local residents. However, utility workers themselves were mobilized.

General managers of enterprises, who did not report to military commissariats [enlistment offices] on employees subject to mobilization, are summoned to prosecutor’s offices. The employees of Sankt-Peterburg TV channel say that 21 of them have already received call-up papers. Mainly these are editors and correspondents without medical constraints for military service. However, one of the employees diagnosed with diabetes and exempted from mobilization also received a summons. Law enforcement in Moscow region is looking for new ways to distribute mobilization summonses. Yesterday in the town of Balashikha the police blocked the exit door from a local restaurant and tried to hand over call-up papers to the entrapped men. In Lyubertsy summonses are glued to doors. In Lipetsk refugees from Mariupol are called to the war with Ukraine: men from Mariupol, who were admitted to Russian citizenship and are currently employed at the Novolipetsk metallurgical plant, received summonses.

Governor of Omsk region Aleksandr Burkov stated that authorities managed to carve out funds to pay 100,000 roubles to each of the mobilized residents. Earlier he claimed that the region could not afford it.

State Duma Deputy Aleksandr Khinshtein claims that Samara region does not have enough places to accommodate the mobilized. He also noted that many people are asking why the mobilized from Samara region are not paid assignment allowances.

Two billion rubles were allocated from the budget of the Voronezh region for the needs of the mobilized Voronezh residents. At least another 300 million will be sent in the near future. The amount includes not only the salary of conscripts, but also other needs necessary to ensure comfort. And their children and wives will be able to use city public transport for free.

In Tatarstan, the situation is different. Mobilization will not be financed from the budget of the republic. On this occasion, Deputy Minister of Finance of Tatarstan Gela Gerasimova said: “These are the powers of the federal budget, the Ministry of Defense. We don't have funds in our budget." It should be noted that, judging by the words of the deputies, mobilization activities are planned for 2023 as well. In a number of cities and regions, following Kaluga, they are canceling New Year's entertainment events - the funds will be directed to support SVO participants and their families, and in the Komi Republic they are reducing social spending, including on healthcare. A mobilized from the Nizhny Novgorod region is perplexed why the required allowance in the amount of 300 thousand rubles is not being sent .

Against this background, there is a growing number of examples of how citizens and organizations collect money for certain goods for the mobilized. In the elite Moscow school MES, where education costs 1.5 million rubles a year, they collect packages for the mobilized, which include berets, knapsacks, jam, instant noodles, sugar and bar soap. In one of the Diksy stores, colleagues donate to an employee for equipment. In the Priuralsky district on Yamal, retirees asked for yarn to knit warm clothes for the mobilized. And in Yakutia, the mobilized were "equipped" for the war with chocolates and women's pads to stop the blood. Children from Obninsk made paper weapons as a gift to the Kaluga mobilized.

Women across Russia are recording video messages asking for help. Their husbands were mobilized illegally. For example, 40-year-old Vladimir Greshnov, who did not serve, has no combat experience and underwent a complex operation on his knees, was mobilized and sent to Sevastopol. In Bashkiria, 25-year-old Arsen Alsynbaev was sent to war with epilepsy, which he suffers from after a craniotomy. Now he is at the training camp in Penza. And in Moscow, officials of the council tried to hand a summons to a wheelchair-bound theater critic Yegor Sidoruk. Mash told the story of Jamal Isakov from Tajikistan with -19 vision, who was handed a summons right in the building of the Migration Department in St. Petersburg, threatening that he would be put on the wanted list for refusing. The story received publicity, and vice-governor Boris Piotrovsky showed interest: “If the incorrectness of issuing the summons is confirmed, we will organize and turn everything back,” he encouraged. Also in St. Petersburg, summons continue to arrive to women without military professions, although the district administration insists that the situation "is not of a widespread nature." But Elena Gorbunova from Kuyuki (Tatarstan) managed to win back her husband from the military registration and enlistment office, who was mobilized despite a large array of diseases.

Russian rights defender Pavel Chikov reports that the Procuratorate of Penza canceled the initiation of the first in Russia criminal proceedings for the failure to appear at the military commissariat on a subpoena. Senator Klishas claimed that threats of criminal liability for refusal to mobilize are illegal. FSB of Krasnoyarsk detained a young man on suspicion of involvement in arson of the military commissariat and participation in the “Artpodgotovka” [artillery preparation] illegal national-leftist political organization. Two participants of the protest action against the mobilization were arrested for 5 days in Novosibirsk. A policeman from Sverdlovsk region (his name is not specified) escaped mobilization to Kazakhstan. He is now being checked according to the 283.2 article of the Criminal Code of RF (disclosure of state secrets).

A mobilized man was killed at a collecting point in Novosibirsk. The reason - some “violent actions”. Another 2 mobilized died of  heart attacks at a military unit near Saint Petersburg. Sirena Telegram channel created a map of “Losses among the mobilized before being sent to war”. Also, Sirena reported that 2 mobilized and 1 conscript died since 21st of September in military units of Zabaikalye. A local citizen was buried near Krasnoyarsk. He died under unclear circumstances on the 2nd of October at an Omsk military base.

In this context, civil law notary services are currently in high demand. The mobilized can make a will for just 100 rubles ($1.6 USD), in a fast-track manner and even on the weekends, regardless of the region. They will be exempted from paying legal and administrative fees, according to the Federal Notary Chamber. Since the first days of the mobilization, notaries in Moscow and the Moscow region have been fully booked: there are long queues at the doors and no appointments available for days ahead.

In the light of mobilization, the number of marriages registered in regional Russia is increasing. Almost a third of the couples have gotten married following an expedited procedure.

Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region signed a decree banning sale of alcohol in Mulino village during the “partial” mobilization. The chronicle of the 3rd Army Corps formation in the area was covered by the Verstka media outlet.

A “pastoral care” for the mobilized will be organized in military commissariats and enlistment offices, with Patriarch Kirill’s blessing. Future servicemen will be given crosses, icons, and have church sacraments  performed on them.