Russian federation intensifies covert mobilization against background of AFU counter-offensive - ISW

The defeat in the Kharkiv region prompted the kremlin to launch an all-russian recruitment campaign. This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

"The defeat near the Kharkiv oblast prompted the kremlin to announce a nationwide recruitment campaign. Kremlin officials and state media have not previously called for recruitment throughout the country, but instead, instructed local officials and media to form forces, allegedly, on their own initiative", - the report says.

It is noted that the kremlin is responding to the defeat around the Kharkiv oblast by increasing covert mobilization, and not by creating conditions for general mobilization.

As previously reported, head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov suggested that the regions of the russian federation not wait for putin's decree and independently declare general mobilization for the war in Ukraine.