“Let them come”, residents of Kharkiv mock the “partial mobilization” announced by Vladimir Putin

“No good soldiers, no motivation, no good salaries.” This is the observation made by Anton, a 34-year-old Ukrainian who lives in Kharkiv in the east of the country, about the Russian army. Like him, many Ukrainians do not feel threatened by Vladimir Putin’s announcements on Wednesday, September 21. After a series of defeats inflicted by the Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russia reacted. In a televised address, the Russian president announced a partial mobilization, as of Wednesday. Some 300,000 reservists will be called up. A new notch is crossed in this war.

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But in the streets of Kharkiv, the victorious counter-offensive of recent weeks has galvanized Ukrainian morale. When we talk to them about this partial mobilization in Russia, many puff out their chests, like Anton: “Let them come, they’ll all stay there. I mean they won’t go home.”

“The Russians, they understood that in Ukraine it was not a good place to come and hang out.”

Anton, resident of Kharkiv

at franceinfo

The Ukrainian victories on the front arouse a lot of pride and the certainty that the Russians opposite are not sufficiently prepared to win this war – and this despite the “partial mobilization”. “Regarding the mobilization, we do not worry. Putin, he does not have these 300,000 soldiers”says Sacha, an entrepreneur.

“We have been living near Russia for a long time, we know the Russians well, they are not worth muchsays the Ukrainian. They are demoralized. They don’t want to fight. They don’t have military vouchers. No motivation, no good salaries. You can see it on the forehead, they are dressed in rags.”

Sacha’s wife, Angelica, adds: “Of course, we are fed up with this situation. Everyone is fed up, in Ukraine as in Russia. But we are fighting for our country. Whereas ordinary citizens in Russia, they don’t even understand why they fight.”

In Kharkiv, a city damaged especially at the beginning of the war, the inhabitants live under the daily threat of bombardments. But they hold on, partly thanks to this very strong patriotic feeling. “I’m sure we’ll win this warsays Olena. It doesn’t matter what Putin announces. I think it can’t be worse than March.”

“The Russians will continue to destroy the infrastructure, as they are doing at the moment for example in Zaporizhia. I have survived everything so far.”

Olena, resident of Kharkiv

at franceinfo

The city of Kharkiv was hit again overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. A building was destroyed, but for Olena, as for many people here, victory for Ukraine is within gunshot.