Putin rejects mobilization rumors, many Russians unconvinced

Twice within the first week of September, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly dismissed rumors of a looming mobilization campaign in the country. On September 1, Putin called the rumors "complete nonsense" and described them as an "information attack" against Russia .

Two days later, on September 3, at the Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin said that "there is no scenario today that would require mobilization."

DW's Russian service asked readers in Russia, on condition of anonymity, whether they see signs of an impending mobilization . The most common response from DW readers concerned receiving summonses from military enlistments offices.

"My nephew received a summons for data verification," wrote a reader from the industrial city of Naberezhnye Chelny.

"I received a summons ordering me to appear for data verification. I'm self-employed. What should I do?"  wrote a user named Maxim.

"One of my friends, a school teacher, received a summons through the government services portal [Gosuslugi] on July 9 to update his records," said another reader, Sergei.

People fear that they may be called up for military service or lose the ability to leave the country freely. As a result, some of those who have received draft notices are seeking to travel abroad as quickly as possible, while restrictions on leaving the country have not yet taken effect.

"One acquaintance of mine left Russia two months ago after receiving a summons for data verification from the military enlistment office," one reader wrote.