The Russian National Guard has begun preparations for mobilisation
The Russian National Guard has proposed amendments to a 2018 order governing the organisation of civil defence within the agency’s forces. The draft document, published on the regulatory portal, was highlighted by the publication ‘Agency’.
The current version of the document provides for advance preparation to protect Rosgvardia personnel, civilian staff, employees of subordinate organisations, their family members and property. Once the amendments are made, the document will be supplemented with provisions on preparing for protection “against dangers arising during mobilisation, during martial law, and in wartime”.
It is also proposed to expand the list of tasks in the field of civil defence. In particular, the plan is to include the evacuation of military personnel. Currently, the document provides for the evacuation of civilian staff, employees and their family members only.
The explanatory note states that the changes are necessary to bring the order into line with the Civil Defence Act, which was updated in 2025. Following the amendments, the law defines civil defence as a system for preparing to protect the population from dangers during periods of mobilisation, martial law and wartime. Previously, it referred to protection during or as a result of armed conflicts, as well as during emergencies.
The article also notes that as far back as February, experts from the US Institute for the Study of War had suggested the possibility of a new mobilisation in Russia. According to their assessment, the rate of recruitment of contract soldiers has ceased to offset losses at the front, which, according to Western estimates, had reached 1.4 million by the middle of the year, including those killed and wounded.
According to sources cited by The Washington Post, some European officials do not rule out a mobilisation following the State Duma elections if heavy losses on the front line persist. The article also mentions that over the summer, reports circulated on Z-channels about a possible mobilisation, citing October as the likely date and the number of conscripts as 1.2 million.
Meanwhile, sources from the publications ‘Versтка’ and ‘Vazhnye Istorii’ claimed that the Russian Ministry of Defence is allegedly already preparing training grounds to receive conscripts, and that those responsible for recruiting for the army have been given the necessary instructions.
According to human rights activists, an increasing number of Russians are receiving mobilisation orders after visiting military registration and enlistment offices to ‘update their details’. A representative of one of the conscripts claimed that military registration offices are screening all visitors and classifying them as ‘potentially useful to the army’, describing this as preparation for general mobilisation and the selection of candidates.
The article also concludes with information from Reuters, citing sources close to the Kremlin who claim that Vladimir Putin is preparing to escalate hostilities in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory.
