Russian state media announced in cryptic words that Ukrainians from the occupied Ukrainian territories, which Russia plans to annex, will be able to be called up to fight in Moscow’s armed forces.

Interfax, one of the Russian state news agencies, reports, for example, that “citizens of the Russian Federation who have served in the army in another country are not exempt from mobilization in Russia.”

The Moscow news agency refers to the Telegram channel “Obyasnit.rf”, created by the Russian authorities to provide explanations and clarifications regarding the partial mobilization, which President Vladimir Putin issued by decree of September 21.

“If a citizen of the Russian Federation previously served in the army of another country, is in the reserve of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and has a military specialty, then he can be mobilized,” the authorities explain on this channel.

While the “is in the reserve of the Russian armed forces” part seems to imply that only men currently in Russian territory will be called up, the last 8 days have shown that the authorities responsible for the recruitment do not even meet the criteria laid out in the decree signed by Putin about mobilization.

That Ukraine announced the entry of its citizens into the armed forces of the Russian Federation

In a message last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia is already trying to mobilize men from Crimea and other parts of Ukraine it controls.

“This is a deliberate attempt by the aggressor state to take the lives of as many residents of the territory invaded by Russian troops as possible,” he emphasized.

“I have a simple request to all our people in the temporarily occupied territory: do the main thing – save your lives and help us weaken and destroy the occupiers. Hiding by any means from the Russian mobilization. Avoid recruitment letters. Try to get to the free territory of Ukraine,” said the Kyiv leader.

“But if you get into the Russian army, sabotage any enemy activity, obstruct any Russian operation, give any important information about the occupiers – their bases, their headquarters, their ammunition depots. And at the first opportunity to switch to our positions. Do everything to save your life and help liberate Ukraine,” Zelenskyi said in his speech on Friday evening.

The Russian-installed occupation authorities in the Ukrainian territories they control announced the final results of pseudo-referendums on unification with Russia on Wednesday, reporting nearly 100 percent approval in some areas.

Some separatist leaders have already called on Putin to issue a decree on unification with Russia, and Moscow’s parliament is expected to meet to pass the law within days.

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