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[–]JosephDeMaistre 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Are you a complete idiot? Russian best troops are (were) its professional soldiers (mercenaries). These ones failed pathetically to achieve the initial objectives (capture of Kiev/Kharkiv), and are now losing ground in the North-East (dramatically) and South (the latter losses not so dramatic tho). Mobilization means sending poorly trained cannon fodder to combat, somewhat reminiscent of Iran's human waves tactics in Iraq-Iran war.

"Militiamen" you're referring to were used in Donbass indeed and about half of them are dead or injured.They didn't achieve anything. Crucial for the initial Russian offensives were its peace time units (professional soldiers, like the US has them). They failed and Putin had to order a mobilization of random men with conscription experience, because the loss of man power alone became an issue. These are more numerous than professional soldiers, but way less qualified and even less motivated.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

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    [–]JosephDeMaistre 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    They are not "stationed" anywhere. Russia ran out of its peace time army so dramatically that it was withdrawing from Syria in August and even from its semicolonies Tajikistan and Kyrghistan.

    Random men with military experience are handed over the notice that they need to show up in the military commissariat to be sent to war pretty much anywhere: work place, at home, queing at Georgian or Kazakh border, wherever. Even Russian state media reports this and admits "occasional mistakes that will be rectified promptly", let's say, invalids or pensioners being summoned to army or whatever.