Foreign media tried to disrupt draft campaign in Russia – MOD
Foreign media attempted to derail the regular spring conscription campaign in Russia amid the Ukraine conflict and continuing stand-off with the West, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.
In a statement on Saturday, the ministry announced that it had completed the call-up for military service, having drafted 147,000 recruits.
The ministry statement noted “the negative influence of foreign media, aimed primarily at disrupting the implementation of conscription measures,” while foreign outlets also attempted to discredit the Russian armed forces.
Despite these difficulties, most conscripts have been assigned to boot camps and military units where they will be trained in using modern equipment and acquire a specialty within five months, officials said, adding that those recruits who have completed their service have been transferred to the reserve.
Russia requires 12 months of compulsory military service for all male citizens aged between 18 and 27. However, despite the intensity of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, Russian officials have repeatedly insisted that conscripts would not be sent to the frontline.
The ministry’s statement comes after Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said earlier this week that the US State Department had instructed major American media companies to “reflect events in and around Russia in a distorted manner” in a bid to indoctrinate Russians and incite them to an armed rebellion.
On Friday, Ella Pamfilova, the chairwoman of Russia’s Central Election Commission, said that the West is also seeking to undermine the upcoming presidential vote in the country, scheduled for the spring of 2024.
