Moscow-installed proxies have begun military training of Russia's newly-drafted personnel in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Sept. 26. Russia's proxies have also started handing out summonses to residents of Luhansk Oblast.
Russia has also closed its Rostov Oblast bordering Ukraine for entry and exit and ordered locals to appear at military enlistment offices within three days, the General Staff reported.
The first tranches of men enlisted under Russia's mobilization have started to arrive at military bases, but many of them will end up on the front lines unprepared, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 26. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared mobilization on Sept. 21.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the German newspaper Bild that Putin's order to mobilize additional troops was expected and points to Russia's shortage of officers and other military personnel.
"We already know they mobilized cadets, guys who couldn't fight. These cadets have fallen. They couldn't even finish their training. All these people cannot fight," said Zelensky.
