Russia prepares first mobilisation in occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

UK Defence Intelligence analysed the intentions of the Russian Federation to conduct a mobilisation in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 5 May on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda Details: The analysts reported that the Kremlin proxy in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast issued a "decree," stating that Russia is developing the necessary infrastructure and mechanisms for conscription in the region's occupied territories.

This will be the first military call-up made in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, which has been briefly seized by Russia, according to intelligence reports.

As indicated in the report, the Russian Federation sees this as a way to meet the Russian armed services' requirement for additional troops. However, the impact of such measures will be limited as a large portion of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast's population has left. For example, Melitopol, the largest city in Zaporizhzhia Oblast under Russian control, retains only 40% of its pre-war population, with half of them being ethnic Russians offered jobs in the city.

"This decree is also part of a broader campaign by the Russian authorities in the temporarily occupied territories to coerce the population to accept Russian governance," UK Defence Intelligence stated. This is also consistent with attempts to make sure that residents have Russian passports and voted in the recent presidential election. "The Kremlin continues to pursue a relentless Russification policy across the temporary occupied territories of Ukraine," the report concluded. 

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