Gunman Shoots Russian Military Recruiter as Thousands Flee Putin’s Mobilization

A gunman on Monday shot a Russian military recruiter as thousands flee President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization, The Washington Post reports.

The gunman wounded the chief recruitment officer at a military enlistment station in Ust-Ilimsk, a small town in Irkutsk.

The young man was apparently distraught that his close friend had been drafted despite having no military experience.

“They said that there would be partial mobilization, but it turns out that they take everyone,” his mother told a Russian media outlet.

A video posted on social media showed the gunman firing while inside the station.

“The shooter was immediately arrested, and he will definitely be punished,” Irkutsk regional governor Igor Kobzev wrote on Telegram. “I can’t wrap my head around what happened, and I am ashamed that this is happening at a time when, on the contrary, we should be united.”

Did Putin lie?:

Putin, announcing the partial mobilization last week, claimed that only those with military experience would be drafted.

“We are talking about partial mobilization,” Putin said. “In other words, only military reservists, primarily those who served in the armed forces and have specific military occupational specialties and corresponding experience, will be called up.”

But there have been numerous reports, including from war supporters, of people being drafted despite having no military experience or being too old or too sick to go to war.

Thousands flee:

Thousands of fighting-age men have fled the country amid the mobilization.

Traffic jams have formed at border crossings with Georgia and Kazakhstan amid concerns that Russia may close the border.

The line at the Georgia border is about 12.5 miles long and has a wait time of up to three days, according to local media reports.

 

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