Hidden mobilization in Russia: Hundreds of thousands receive orders at military enlistment offices
Photo: Mobilization in Russia (Getty Images)
Russian citizens are receiving mobilization orders en masse at military enlistment offices. This will allow the aggressor state to urgently summon hundreds of thousands of men to assembly points, The Moscow Times reports.
Mobilization orders in Russia
The so-called mobilization orders in Russia involve men receiving summonses to "update their personal information" and update military registration records.
Several hundred thousand Russians may have received a mobilization order inserted into their military ID, requiring them to report to an assembly point if mobilization is declared. This is how Timofey Vaskin, head of the legal department at the Conscript School, assessed the process, according to the outlet.
Military enlistment offices have issued mobilization orders before, but in 2026, this practice has become widespread.
"We do not know the exact figures because the information is classified. But judging by reports on social media and the number of inquiries we and our colleagues our colleagues (lawyers specializing in conscription) receive, the increase has been dramatic, by dozens of times," he said.
Statistics from Russian internet search engines also point to the trend. The number of searches for "what is a mobilization order" has increased by more than 800% since the beginning of the year:
- 7,154 searches in January,
- 65,048 in August.
This is the highest level since September-October 2022, when 300,000 Russians were forcibly mobilized for the war against Ukraine.
A summons to a military enlistment office to "update personal information" does not mean that these people will necessarily be mobilized, drafted, or sent to the front, the outlet notes. However, if mobilization begins, it will help the authorities quickly recruit the number of people they need.
Russia needs mobilization
According to estimates by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Russian army is currently suffering more than 40,000 killed and wounded on the front each month.
ISW says it remains unclear how long Russian forces can sustain their current offensive tempo without mobilization in some form.
A source for The Economist close to the Kremlin claims that Putin plans to send an additional 300,000-400,000 Russians to the front. At the same time, he does not plan to officially announce a new mobilization.
Regional authorities are expected to be responsible for recruitment. They will use pressure to keep public discontent at the local level, the outlet reports.
The new system is already being tested in the Penza region, where men are reportedly being detained on the streets and forcibly sent to war, sources said.
RBC-Ukraine previously reported that Russia has already recorded a case in which a reservist was unable to leave the country. The decision to restrict his departure was made by a military enlistment office.
It was also reported that Russian conscripts are increasingly facing problems when attempting to leave the country. In some cases, the restrictions only become known when they go through border control.
In addition, forced detentions and coercion to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry have become commonplace in Russia.
