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Russia tests mobilization procedures in Kaliningrad, raising NATO concerns
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Conflict & Security

Russia tests mobilization procedures in Kaliningrad, raising NATO concerns

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Russia conducted military exercises in Kaliningrad in July to test mobilization procedures, according to Western intelligence sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.
  • While no decision on a new mobilization has been confirmed, the drills raise concerns about potential conflict escalation toward NATO.
  • Russia faces labor shortages and political sensitivity around a new mobilization, potentially opting for a more gradual approach if one is initiated.

Russia's military recently conducted exercises in the Kaliningrad region to test procedures for a potential population mobilization, according to Western intelligence sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. Although the Kremlin has not confirmed a decision to call up more troops, the drills have reignited concerns about the potential for the conflict in Ukraine to expand toward NATO.

The Wall Street Journal, citing Western intelligence sources, reported that the Russian army conducted exercises in the Kaliningrad region in July to test readiness for possible mobilization.

โ€” The Wall Street JournalReporting on the Russian military exercises in Kaliningrad.

Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper, suggests that the war in Ukraine might force Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a decision he has so far avoided: a new large-scale mobilization. Russia is reportedly struggling to replace battlefield losses and facing a labor shortage, making a new call-up politically sensitive. The 2022 mobilization led to an exodus of military-aged men from Russia.

Instead of a mass conscription, Russia has relied on financial incentives for volunteers, pressure from local authorities, and recruitment in poorer regions, prisons, and abroad. However, a new mobilization could be implemented more gradually using developed administrative systems, according to an analysis by the Italian newspaper. The labor shortage issue is also a significant concern, as many men are in the military, some have left the country, and the military industry is drawing workers from the civilian sector.

The war in Ukraine could lead Vladimir Putin to a decision he has so far tried to avoid โ€“ a new major mobilization.

โ€” Corriere della SeraDiscussing the potential political and military pressures on Russia.

Michael Kofman, an expert on Russian armed forces, believes that a new mobilization launched now would struggle to yield decisive results on the Ukrainian battlefield before winter. He suggests that Moscow should have initiated such a move earlier if its goal was to capture more parts of Donbas in the short term.

A new mobilization launched now would struggle to yield decisive results on the battlefield before winter.

โ€” Michael KofmanAn expert's assessment of the potential impact of a new mobilization.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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