Sept 26,2022:Russia’s two most senior lawmakers on Sunday addressed a string of complaints about Russia’s mobilisation drive, ordering regional officials to get a handle on the situation and swiftly solve the “excesses” that have stoked public anger.
Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, said she was aware of reports of men who should be ineligible for the draft being called up.
In a direct message to Russia’s regional governors – who she said had “full responsibility” for implementing the call-up – she wrote: “Ensure the implementation of partial mobilisation is carried out in full and absolute compliance with the outlined criteria. Without a single mistake.”
Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, Russia’s lower chamber, also expressed concern in a separate post.
The strongly pro-Kremlin editor of Russia’s state-run RT news channel also expressed anger that enlistment officers are sending call-up papers to the wrong men as frustration about the military mobilisation grows.
Russia’s first public mobilisation since World War II – needed to shore up its faltering Ukraine war – has triggered a rush for the border with hundreds of arrests and widespread unease among the population.
The move has also attracted criticism from the Kremlin’s own supporters, something almost unheard of in Russia since the invasion began.
