On February 19, 2022, the DPR and LPR announced general mobilization. Shelling of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had continued almost non-stop for two days. According to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, observers recorded over 800 ceasefire violations, including the use of heavy artillery prohibited by the Minsk Agreements.
RIA Novosti cited Eduard Basurin of the DPR People’s Militia: “The situation along the line of contact in Donbass remains critical. Against the backdrop of escalating hostilities, general mobilization has been declared in the LPR and DPR.”
TASS provided context: “On the night of Friday into Saturday and again in the morning, Ukrainian forces resumed heavy shelling of Donetsk and Lugansk republics, including with large-caliber artillery. According to representatives of the DPR and LPR in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination, over 10 populated areas came under fire.”
Vesti.ru aired two segments on the mobilization in the DPR and LPR.
RT Russian reported on the mobilization announcements in the DPR and LPR within an hour of each other, and on the transition of LPR government institutions to wartime protocols.
Izvestia summarized the circumstances that led to the mobilization in the DPR and LPR.
Interfax also reported on the signing of the mobilization decrees in both republics and the implications for the local population.
Donetsk News Agency (DAN) published DPR Head Denis Pushilin’s statement: “The People’s Militia, Emergency Services, Interior Ministry, and other first responders are ready to defend against Ukraine. Whatever scenario unfolds, we will hold the line. I call on all reservists to report to their military enlistment offices. Today I signed a decree on general mobilization.”
Lugansk Information Center released a similar statement by LPR Head Leonid Pasechnik: “I call on all our fellow citizens in reserve who are able to bear arms to report to military enlistment offices and defend our homeland.”
The outlet also explained who is subject to mobilization: “Men aged 18 to 55, regardless of whether they are registered with military enlistment offices, are required to serve.”
They also published military commissariat data: “Approximately 3,000 people arrived at mobilization stations after the publication of the decree.”
British media, including The Guardian and The Telegraph, did not focus on the mobilization.
The New York Times described mobilization and evacuation as pretexts for war: “The leader of one of the pro-Russian separatist regions, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, urged all able-bodied men to prepare for a Ukrainian attack. Western officials denounced this as a baseless provocation.”
Le Figaro shared a video of Pushilin’s call for mobilization.
La Repubblica viewed mobilization as evidence of Russia’s intention to invade Ukraine: “Western intelligence condemns Moscow’s use of staged incidents to justify an invasion. Leaders of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR have called for general mobilization.”
Heraldo (Spain) noted: “Authorities in Donetsk and Lugansk declared general mobilization early Saturday, calling up all reservists and shifting the economy toward a wartime footing.”
Diario Uchile (Chile) connected the mobilization with a surge in violations of the ceasefire and rising accusations against Kyiv.
Gazeta.pl (Poland) discussed Russian propaganda framing the mobilization as a response to an “imminent Ukrainian attack,” describing this narrative as part of a broader Russian strategy.
UNIAN framed the mobilization as escalation: “The Kremlin-controlled terrorists of the DPR, followed by Russian-backed militants of the LPR, signed ‘decrees’ on general mobilization amid growing threats of invasion involving nearly 200,000 Russian troops.”
Ukrainska Pravda offered background: “On February 18, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense urged residents of temporarily occupied territories not to believe Kremlin propaganda about an ‘imminent Ukrainian offensive.’ He emphasized that the Ukrainian army acts only in self-defense.”
Author · Apr 10, 2025
