The Kremlin on Wednesday acknowledged what it has been repeatedly voicing in the press and on social media for weeks. Many of Russia’s new recruits are not properly equipped for combat.
A photoshoot last week showing President Vladimir Putin visiting a training center full of well-equipped soldiers represents the reality of many of the more than 220,000 civilians forced into Putin’s mobilization. announced on September 21 that it had not. He complained that he had to buy battlefield equipment for his conscripted sons, brothers, etc., and that they were sent to war with little training.There were also reports of shortages of food and ammunition. be.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the continuing problems with the installation, but said, “The vigorous measures taken to rectify the situation have led to the first positive results. It has already been obtained,” he said.
Still, it doesn’t address the issue of ill-prepared recruits being forced to go to war. When asked by reporters why several reservists died in Ukraine just three weeks after being called up, Putin said the training could last from 10 to 25 days.
Military analyst Pavel Luzin, a visiting fellow at Tufts University, said Russia could not train all conscripts. rice field. “It was never ready.”
Biden warns Moscow:Use of nuclear weapons is a ‘serious mistake’
Other developments:
> Months after halting operations in Russia because of the war, automakers Ford and Mercedes-Benz announced they would sell their assets in the country.
The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 21 individuals and entities in response to Russia’s “malicious influence campaign and systemic corruption” aimed at influencing politics in Moldova, which borders Ukraine. announced.
► DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, says it has lost about $40 million since October 10, when Russia began “devastating” targeting of the country’s energy infrastructure sites.
► The Russian and Belarusian ambassadors have been excluded from this year’s Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the Nobel Foundation has announced.
Putin oversees training for ‘massive nuclear attack’
Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Russia’s strategic deterrent had successfully conducted a drill on Wednesday aimed at conducting a “massive nuclear attack” in response to a possible nuclear attack on the country. Stated.
The exercise, overseen by President Vladimir Putin, involved a mobile ground-based missile system and the strategic missile submarine Tula of the Russian Northern Fleet. The Kremlin said in a statement that all the missiles launched reached their targets.
The Biden administration said Russia gave advance notice of the annual exercise. NATO conducts its own long-planned annual nuclear exercises in northwestern Europe.
For the first time on Russian television, Putin has repeated baseless allegations made by his officials that Ukraine intends to use the so-called dirty bomb “as a provocation”.
US experts theorize that Russia is considering detonating its own “false flag”, the dirty bomb, or using the story to further bolster support for war at home.
The body of Joshua Jones, an American murdered in Ukraine, has been returned
The body of U.S. Army veteran Joshua Alan Jones, who died while fighting in Ukraine, was returned to Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday in exchange for Russian troops.
The head of the Ukrainian president’s office, Andriy Yermak, told Telegram that 10 Ukrainian prisoners of war, including one officer and nine non-commissioned officers, had been released from Russian captivity at the same time. Yermak did not specify how many Russians were released.
“We will keep working until we get everyone home,” Yermak said.
The US State Department notified the family about the return of the body, Jones’ father, Jeff Jones, told CNN. Neither the Pentagon nor the US State Department responded immediately to USA TODAY. Joshua Jones’ family confirmed his death on Facebook in August, posting a short statement saying “Our main goal is to get his body back home.”
Jeff Jones told CNN, “I don’t know what burdens are being lifted from this family.
Putin’s challenger flees country amid criminal investigation
Popular Russian TV host Ksenia Sobchak, who once challenged Putin in the presidential election, has become a suspect in an extortion case involving state-owned defense contractor Rostec, state news agency TASS reported. News outlets said Sobchak, who could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, fled the country. In Russia, almost everyone charged with a crime is convicted. Sobchak’s commercial director, his Kirill Sukhanov, and former editor-in-chief, his Arian Romanovsky, were detained pending indictment.
Sobchak is often critical of Putin, and the case claims payments were demanded in exchange for assurances that government officials would not receive critical coverage from Sobchak’s news channels. Sobchack, 40 was a liberal challenger in the 2018 Russian presidential election, winning about 1.7% of the vote, well ahead of fourth place.
From August:A Memphis man died in the war in Ukraine. His family is now trying to retrieve his remains.
Contributed by Associated Press
