Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing summonses to be sent electronically. The Kremlin claims that it primarily wants to facilitate the recruitment of soldiers into the army. But the new regulation mainly raises concerns about the fact that, even with regard to the planned Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russian officials are preparing another wave of mobilization.
“Of course, this draft law caused a great response, people are worried,” said Grigory Sverdlin, the head of the non-profit organization Idita lesom. | Video: Associated Press
Until now, in Russia, military administration personnel or employers had to hand over the call-up orders in person. The amended law, which Putin signed on Friday after fast-track approval by parliament, now stipulates that documents will be sent electronically and in duplicate also by registered mail to the address of permanent residence or place of employment. The authorities there will then consider the electronically sent order as delivered from the moment it is saved on the state portal.
If they do not appear at the military administration within two weeks of being summoned in this way, they will automatically be banned from traveling abroad. Other penalties now include a ban on driving a car, selling or buying real estate or applying for loans. The new standard also envisages the creation of a digital record system, which will contain the personal data of conscripts, including their place of residence or employment address.
The rapid adoption of the law and its specifics, even in connection with the failures of the Russian army in Ukraine, fuel fears that the Kremlin is preparing another wave of mobilization. Experts also point out that the new measures make it almost impossible for Russians to avoid possible levies without penalty. According to legal experts, the Russian border guard could now use the aforementioned online registry to further restrict travel. Until now, many Russians have avoided conscription by staying outside their permanent residence or by fleeing abroad.
“Before the adoption of this law, it seemed that the Kremlin would still try to avoid a large public outcry and use conscripts and soldiers on duty. But now the situation has clearly changed, and the authorities now seem to have done everything to ensure that the necessary number of people could be mobilized at any time front,” Grigory Sverdlin, head of the non-profit organization Idita lesom (translated as “Go to the forest” but also “Go somewhere”, ed.), commented on the law for the Associated Press agency, which advises Russians on how to avoid mobilization.
Immediately after the approval of the new legislation, the organization noted a sharp increase in the number of residents who asked about the possibility of going abroad or to another part of Russia. Over six hundred people turned to them in just one day. “It should be remembered that the situation in Russia has already changed. Of course, this draft law has caused a great response, people are worried,” added Sverdlin.
Even so, the organization does not expect that the threat of further conscription into the army would trigger mass emigration – just as it did last spring, i.e. immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, or in the autumn after the announcement of partial mobilization. “Those who currently remain in Russia often do not have the opportunity to leave. They do not have money, savings, passports. They simply do not have the opportunity to leave their city, house, leave everything and leave overnight,” explained Ivan Chuvilyaev to Radio Free Europe. project spokesperson.
Like a digital prison
Kremlin critics also describe the new legislation as a step towards a “digital prison camp” that gives unprecedented powers to military conscription authorities, the Radio Free Europe website cites. “The universal advice is: Disappear as soon as possible,” human rights activist Ivan Pavlov appealed to the Current Time server. According to him, the law gives the Russian authorities a very effective mechanism to quickly strengthen the ranks of the Russian army in the event of a large-scale Ukrainian counterattack.
In connection with this, some analysts point out that there is a growing reluctance to fight in Russia and there is a fear of growing repression. “The people there face a difficult choice, where on the one hand you either go to fight and die, or on the other hand, if you protest, you end up in prison. And as for horror, you know, Russian prisons are not much different from war,” he pointed out to pro Associated Press political expert Abbas Gallyamov.
However, Russian officials have repeatedly denied that they are planning a second mobilization wave. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed last week that the proposed law only serves to streamline the outdated conscription system and is intended to correct deficiencies revealed by the partial mobilization of last fall.
Since September, more than 300,000 men have been called to arms in Russia. The announcement of last year’s mobilization prompted thousands of men of military age to flee abroad. Protests broke out in several Russian cities at the time, but were suppressed by the local security forces.
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