New mobilization exercises in Russia fuel fears of expanded recruitment for the war in Ukraine
Russian authorities have conducted mobilization training exercises in recent days in the Volgograd region, fueling speculation about the possibility of a new recruitment campaign to support the war in Ukraine.
According to information appearing in the local press, 17 mobilization officials from different regions of the Russian Federation participated in training sessions organized in Volgograd and the city of Volzhsky. The exercises included representatives from the Astrakhan and Rostov regions, the Republic of Kalmykia, as well as officials from annexed Crimea and the occupied territories of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
During the drills, essential procedures for a potential mobilization were simulated, including setting up assembly points for conscripted citizens, distributing summons orders, and managing military equipment. Local media reported that the administration of Volzhsky later deleted video footage of the exercises from social networks, but the videos remained available on other media platforms.
In parallel, information emerged about intensified recruitment activities in the Penza region. Some sources claim that police and military commissariat representatives are conducting checks and verifications of men in military records.
There are also allegations that some citizens have been pressured to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense to be sent to the front in Ukraine. However, these reports have not been independently confirmed.
Despite these developments, Moscow authorities continue to deny rumors of a new general mobilization. Russian officials maintain that the exercises and checks are part of routine training and management of military reserves.
Nevertheless, international observers note that Russia continues to strengthen the administrative and logistical infrastructure necessary for a potential mobilization, in a context where the conflict in Ukraine remains far from a resolution.
