So, Putin recorded a speech. Kinda the same energy as the pre-SMO one, so probably serious.

Boils down to him stating:

that the front is too long for the current Ukrainian contingent,

that NATO’s hand is so far up Ukraine’s ass and that they’re openly talking about destroying Russia so much that it’s one step short of war with NATO (you know, for those who haven’t been paying attention),

shaking nuclear stick at NATO as a response to their nuclear terrorism at Zaporozhskaya nuclear power plant and as a part of his statement that Russia will use every tool (he emphasized) at it’s disposal to defend it’s sovereignty and territorial cohesion,

and him declaring partial mobilization.

Not part of the speach, but for context - Donbass republics are having referendums to join RF Sep 23-27. Liberated parts of Kherson and Zaporozhskaya oblasts are talking about those too of late, but no dates as of yet.

What “partial” means is - mobilization of reservists. No conscript hordes with one rifle for five soldiers (since we all know Russian military lost all of it’s hardware in Ukraine /s). MoD states the goal of about 300000, which is not even a 4th of the reserve, but, all things considered, sounds about right, unless shit in Central Asia really hits the fan.

Soldiers mobilised this way get all the payment and priviliges of a contract soldier, and it’s worth mentioning that yesterday Duma passed a big ol’ batch of war time and military laws with stuff like plugging the legal hole that allowed contract soldiers to basically get all the nice stuff in peace time and as soon as they’re sent to actually fight somewhere say “nope” and leave the military (facepalm).

Also military contractors were mentioned. They’re expected to step up their game, but I don’t know how realistic that is short-term. Russian industry has a bad problem with producing machine tools (thanks, 90s), so it’s not like a shitload of new factories can be built real quick. Maybe there is something going on with China (pressing X for doubt) or…I dunno, Iran. I guess this stuff would be real hush-hush.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that strikes at Ukrainian infrastructure have, seemingly, become regular since that thermal power station. Artillery-terrorism in Donetsk, on the other hand, got worse. Come referendums, it’s probably gonna get as bad as Ukraine can possibly make it. You know, because that’ll make people of Donetsk reconsider…

Links (there is a transcript under the video, should be Chrome-translateable, right?):

http://www.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/69390

http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/news/69391

https://ria.ru/20220920/dezertirstvo-1818119075.html

P.S. I don’t know if it’s intentional grim trolling, but September 21st is International Peace Day and Putin’s speach was due yesterday, but got postponed until today.