The first reservists were deployed, after theannouncement of partial mobilization, in the occupied Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday on Telegram messaging. “Mobilized soldiers are undergoing combat training in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said. A video shows soldiers practicing shooting. The Russian army had already announced before that reservists had arrived in Lugansk.
Both in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the Russians are on the defensive against the Ukrainian advance and had to withdraw from the strategic town of Lyman last weekend.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, reservists will not be deployed to fill gaps, but will have to secure supply routes behind the front after their training. Before being deployed, all reservists must undergo training to refresh their military knowledge. According to experts, most reservists will be deployed within one to two months.