Russian authorities have announced that 10,000 volunteers will fight in Ukraine on the first day of partial mobilization, the Russian Interfax news agency reported.

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilization of the Russian army, referring to the situation in Ukraine, and stated: “I have asked the Russian government to grant legal status to volunteers fighting in Donbas”, stating that “the parliament in Donbas has decided to hold referendum and asked for our support. “To determine the fate of the people, and we support this decision”, noting that “we have weapons of mass destruction against Western weapons.”

For his part, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed the signing of the directive on partial mobilization and instructed the General Staff to start the procedures for its implementation, and also announced the call for 300,000 reserve troops, noting that “the redeployment, redeployment and completed the transfer of Russian military groups in Izyum and Plaklia to Donbass” to strengthen our forces in the area.