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The partial mobilization has ended in Russia, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
“The deployment of citizens called up for mobilization was completed today. The conscription of citizens has stopped. The target you set – 300,000 people – has been met. No additional assignments are being planned,” the Russian defense minister said, according to TASS, the state sponsored news outlet.
“Within the framework of the special military operation, military enlistment offices will continue to replenish the military only by recruiting volunteers and candidates for military service under contract,” Shoigu said.
The controversial mobilization has been plagued by complaints from troops that they were not offered proper training or equipment. Many have reported fleeing the country to avoid conscription.
The defense minister pointed out that particular attention was focused on training those called up from the reserve at training centers and firing ranges, where 218,000 people are currently sharpening their skills as members of a crew or a detachment. After finishing their training, 82,000 draftees were deployed to the area of the special military operation. Of those, more than 41,000 are deployed as members of military units.
“During the partial mobilization, over 1,300 representatives of executive power and over 27,000 businessmen were sent to the armed forces. About 13,000 citizens volunteered before they received their conscription notifications, and were sent to the armed forces as volunteers. The average age of mobilized citizens is 35 years,” Shoigu said.
The minister emphasized that Russian service members who take part in combat during the special military operation will be designated as combat veterans and will receive social protection benefits.
Among other things, Shoigu admitted having problems with supplies and various types of allowances at the initial stage, but pointed out that those problems had already been resolved, so the arriving troops are provided with the allowances, uniforms, equipment and food in accordance with the requirements for contract soldiers.
The mobilization has been plagued by complaints from troops that they were not offered proper training or equipment.
