50% of mobilized Russians die at front within first 4 months – Russian opposition leader Ponomarev

Ponomarev shared this information during an interview on Espreso TV.

He stated, "Recently, statistics regarding Russian soldiers have come to light. Specifically, during the initial four months of deployment, half of the mobilized Russians lose their lives. This suggests that the Putin regime may prioritize quantity over quality in their military personnel, essentially using them as cannon fodder. It's a reality that soldiers convey to their friends and family. Financial incentives for participating in the war against Ukraine also contribute to this situation. Widespread poverty in Russia means that compensation for a soldier's death can provide relief. It's a tragic situation, but it reflects the current state of affairs."

Ponomarev believes that expecting widespread protest movements in Russia may be unrealistic at present.

"I hold the view that we should not harbor overly optimistic expectations regarding protest movements in Russia, at least not in the immediate future. While tensions within the population may escalate if mobilization efforts extend to major Russian cities, I believe the initial impetus for protests will come from within the Russian elite," he added.

Here are the latest developments related to Russian mobilization

On September 3, in the temporarily occupied territories, Russia halted the deportation of residents and increased the activities of Military Committees to boost turnout in pseudo-elections and expedite mobilization.

On September 4, the partisan group "Atesh" reported that following the illegal pseudo-elections in occupied Crimea on September 12, the occupiers intended to intensify the mobilization process. Banks will share customer information with Russian military commissars to facilitate this.

The Center of National Resistance revealed Russia's efforts to accelerate "mobilization" in the occupied territories of the Luhansk region, as part of their plan related to the fake elections.

On September 11, the Ukrainian General Staff announced that due to significant losses in the army within remote regions of the Russian Federation and the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, mass forced mobilization of the population is imminent. Approximately 400,000 to 700,000 people are expected to be drafted into the armed forces.

According to the ISW (Institute for the Study of War) report on September 13, Putin's inner circle has been actively discussing the need for and preparation of a second wave of reserve mobilization prior to the fall draft. Russian officials are considering mobilizing 170,000 to 175,000 reservists and moving the draft date from October 1 to November 1.

On September 14, it was revealed that the Kremlin had instructed propagandists not to mention the new mobilization efforts within the Russian Federation.

Andriy Yusov, a representative of the GUR (Main Intelligence Directorate), advised against mobilization in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine during an interview on Espreso TV. He suggested that individuals should consider purchasing certificates or avoiding passport acquisition if possible.

The Canadian Armed Forces have expressed confidence that Russia is planning a fresh round of mobilization, possibly signaling their intention to resume their offensive in Ukraine.