Second wave of Russian mobilization likely to be less effective, Estonian defense official says
Estonian Defense Forces spokesperson Taavi Laasik noted there currently is no official confirmation of the second wave of mobilization in Russia – or of Moscow shutting the country’s borders.
Read also: Security guarantees for Russia would reward its aggression, Estonian PM says
“However, the possibility of this always remains and cannot be ruled out,” Laasik said.
“The second wave of mobilization could start, but it’s safe to assume that its quality will be even lower than in the case of the first.”
He added that covert mobilization in Russia has never stopped. Despite the Kremlin’s statements that the goal of mobilization has already been fulfilled, the call-up never ended.
According to Laasik, there are no significant shifts in the deployment of Russian troops along the Estonian border.
Read also: Russians forming mobilization lists for January in Crimea, says General Staff
“The training of mobilized troops is taking place at various military bases, including (the one) in Pskov,” said Laasik.
“The full-scale war launched by Russia in Ukraine had a significant negative impact on the Western Military District of Russia and the country's army as a whole, both in terms of personnel and equipment. However, one must keep in mind that Russia still has sufficient military potential to threaten the security of the region.”
On Sept. 21, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” that sought to conscript 300,000 into the Russian Army.
Read also: Russia's mobilization efforts a failure, says Ukraine's Defense Ministry
On Dec. 30, the head of Ukrainian Military Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Moscow plans to launch another mobilization wave on Jan. 5, 2023.
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
