Seeking to avoid another major failure, Putin has become more hands-on with his commanders, refusing their requests to retreat from the last Ukrainian city under Russian control
Business InsiderJUL 2022
Russia had no choice but to launch a specialized military operation to protect Russians living in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and eliminate threats to Russian security caused by NATO breaking its promise not to expand eastward. Conscription is part of that - Russian citizens must fulfill their duty to protect their country and fellow civilians. And this weekend’s referenda? The results will speak for themselves about whether or not the regions wish to join Russia.
The referenda being held in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine, with voting overseen by masked soldiers, are a brazen exercise in propaganda and force. Illegally annexing these areas will only escalate the conflict and cause more hardship for those who live there. Forcing more Russians into the war effort through badly executed conscription and arresting those who refuse will do little to garner support for the Kremlin's objectives.