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It's not a war, but a Special Military Operation. And that operation goes so well, it is now time not to call a general mobilisation, but only a partial mobilisation.
On Wednesday September 21, at 09:15h, Russian President Vladimir Putin made the announcement that was rumored since days: all members of the Russian Army's reserve, as well as anybody who has ever served in the Russian military, are called upon to do their duty in the Special Military Operation, fighting the Nazi-Ukrainian forces.
Refusing to report will result in 15 years prison. Skipping out during service will result in 15 years prison. And surrendering to the enemy without being incapacitated will result in 15 years prison, as will not trying to flee from a POW camp.
The move is not unexpected. The Ukrainian counter-offensive triggered the first comments on Russian television about the need for mobilisation, and it was just waiting until Russian regional elections had passed, last week. On top of that, the recent meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation didn't go to plan, apparently.
First there was India's Modi publicly stating that this ain't a time for war, and that he had repeatedly asked to stop the whole thing. Then there was a falling out over the same subject with both Turkey and Kazakhstan, to which Putin apparently reacted very agressively. All combined might perhaps explain the rather confused press conference afterwards.
Immediately after the end of the SCO Summit, one Nikolai Patrushev stepped on a plane to meet with Chinese colleagues to discuss strategic stability and public security and law and order. He returned after 2 days, on the 19th. On the 20th, a statement by Putin was announced for the evening, but that was postponed for reasons unknown.
In a first phase, 300,000 reservists are being called up but, as Russia's Kommersant business newspaper noted, the total number of people who will be called up is secret, hence open to modification.
Do I need to add that it all ended with the threat to use nuclear weapons?
Official announcement here.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 21 2022, @06:20PM (4 children)
Do you believe the "NATO umbrella" is a special magic spell to shield your arse from Putin's nukes? No, Virginia, it isn't. It is merely a complement of similar nukes, and the ONLY thing it is good for, is making sure Putin gets a retaliatory nuke or ten onto his bunker if he dares launch one to kill you. It is NOT a protection; the protection is Putin's FEAR of that nuclear retaliation.
If Putin has cause not to fear you, then your virgin arse is bare and ready to be fucked hard. Possibly with an umbrella, or a mop, or something else creative. It is how it works.
(Score: 1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday September 21 2022, @07:22PM (3 children)
Well, now. Let me see here. Actually, allow me to turn the question around on you. Do you believe that treaties are important? Have not the various heads of state from most of the civilized world made much of treaties, agreements, etc ad nauseum?
The fact is, there are no formal treaties between NATO nations and Ukraine to defend Ukraine from - - - anything. If the Martians invade Ukraine tomorrow, we aren't obligated to come to Ukraine's aid. If the creatures inside of the hollow earth invade Ukraine, same thing. If 20th dimensional beings invade, ditto the above.
Poland, however, being a member of NATO, actually has treaties and agreements in place. If Poland is invaded by whomever, whatever, Poland has every right to expect that NATO comes to Poland's defense.
Let us reinforce that: Poland is a member of NATO and the EU, Ukraine is not a member of NATO or the EU. We are obligated to defend Poland, we have no obligation to defend Ukraine.
Actually, if you want to be honest, there is no protection from nukes. Once launched, you're fucked, no matter who you are, where you are, or how many treaties purport to protect you.
But, do go on. Tell us how backing Russia into a corner is protecting us.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 21 2022, @08:35PM (2 children)
As to treaties, Ukraine believed the Budapest memorandum meant something when it handed away the ex-Soviet nukes. And creative reading can be applied to NATO treaties just the same as it was applied to Anglo-Polish and Franco-Polish alliance treaties when Poland got invaded in 1939.
Treaties mean nothing when their parties are too dishonest or cowardly to do what they promised.
As to "backing Russia into a corner", can you tell us WHAT place we must give Putin, to be guaranteed from his declaring it a "corner" too? A jail cell would give such a guarantee, a shallow grave can too, and nothing else can. Because Russia is worse than "in a corner"; it is in a deep, deep hole, put there by Putin and his gang of thieves who near totally destroyed all the non-extractive industries in the country, and nothing but their removal from power will stop their digging that hole ever deeper. No amount of extra territory to plunder will ever be enough for that "economic model", it is a cancerous ulcer on the face of the world.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday September 22 2022, @12:00AM (1 child)
If treaties mean anything, that one would. It also has the feature that Russia guaranteed Ukraine's territorial integrity.
That's the huge thing missed with this argument. When you're dealing with a paranoid dictator, they have really high maintenance when it comes to this sort of thing. There's always something threatening or scary.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 22 2022, @02:01AM
We voted him out a couple of years ago. Think he'll run again?