Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has dismissed rumors about military mobilization in the country. On September 1, Putin referred to the rumors as "complete nonsense" and described them as an "information attack" against Russia. Two days later, at the Economic Forum in Vladivostok, he stated that "there is no scenario today that would require mobilization."
DW's Russian service conducted a survey among readers in Russia, asking whether they perceive signs of an impending mobilization. Many respondents reported receiving summonses from military enlistment offices. A reader from Naberezhnye Chelny mentioned, "My nephew received a summons for data verification." Another user named Maxim stated, "I received a summons ordering me to appear for data verification. I'm self-employed. What should I do?" A third reader, Sergei, noted that a friend who is a school teacher received a summons on July 9 to update his records through the government services portal, Gosuslugi.
Concerns about being called for military service or losing the ability to travel freely have led some individuals who received draft notices to seek to leave the country quickly, although restrictions on travel have not yet been implemented. One reader shared that an acquaintance left Russia two months ago after receiving a summons for data verification.
Not everyone views emigration as a feasible option. One DW reader remarked, "As for leaving, that's a fantasy. Where would you go, and more importantly, with what money?"
In June, reports from Russia's Penza region indicated that men were forcibly taken to military enlistment offices and pressured into signing military contracts. This practice reportedly led to protests from residents supporting affected individuals. Journalist Lena Lemyasova from the news outlet Important Stories stated, "People are being detained, particularly near the entrances to their apartment buildings. Often men who have been drinking. Unknown individuals approach them, or vehicles pull up — often cars provided by local authorities. The men are simply seized and taken away, then their families and neighbors hear nothing more. Later, information sometimes emerges that they were transported to military units. They are often held there before being sent to the front."
Lawyer Artem Klyga explained that receiving a summons for "data verification" does not necessarily mean that an individual will be drafted or deployed. He noted that these summonses indicate improvements in military registration procedures, which would allow authorities to quickly summon individuals if mobilization occurs.
Reports indicate that Russians have increasingly received mobilization orders issued in advance. In peacetime, such orders do not require individuals to take action, but if mobilization is declared, recipients must report to their designated military enlistment office. Lawyer Timofei Vaskin stated that these orders, which were issued before and during the war against Ukraine, have increased significantly, although exact figures remain classified.
The 2022 decree on partial mobilization in Russia has not been formally revoked and remains in effect. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has labeled reports of a new mobilization wave as "fake stories," despite previously denying similar reports in May 2022.
As of August 8, DW found several job vacancies on the Russian job platform HeadHunter for specialists in "mobilization preparedness," with 40 positions available in Moscow and 13 in St Petersburg. These roles involve ensuring that organizations have mobilization plans and are prepared for emergencies and civil defense measures.
The presence of summonses, military training exercises, and recruitment efforts contributes to ongoing public concern regarding mobilization, despite official denials. Klyga noted, "Bureaucrats have been tasked with preparing the system for any decision Putin might make. And if that decision is mobilization, they are expected to be ready."
In late July, the independent outlet Agentstvo reported 197 vacancies related to "mobilization preparedness" and over 2,600 vacancies concerning "military registration" on the same recruitment platform.