The Russian Defense Ministry announced the call of reservists to protect against attacks by UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

To protect life-support facilities in the regions of Russia, it was decided to attract reservists, said today, October 22, Deputy Head of the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky.

"Due to the increased use of long-range drones by the armed formations of Ukraine to launch strikes on the territory of the Russian Federation, the threat of damage to critical infrastructure and residential areas has increased. In order to increase the level of security of life support facilities and other facilities important for the well—being of citizens, it was decided to involve the most trained and patriotic citizens in the implementation of measures to protect civilian facilities deep in Russia," he said at a briefing.

According to him, it is for these purposes that the Ministry of Defense has prepared a bill on the use of reservists, which was previously supported by the government.

"According to the law on military duty and military service, reservists are citizens who are in reserve and voluntarily signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to stay in reserve. < It provides for the possibility of their referral to special fees to protect life support facilities, energy, transport, oil refineries and other infrastructure only in their region. Countering, first of all, drones," Tsimlyansky said.

He assured that within the framework of the law, reservists are not planned to be involved "in participating in a special military operation," and they will only protect objects "on the territory of their native region" from UAVs.

"The draft law prepared on the initiative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation does not affect all citizens and does not provide for their conscription for military service, sending to the zone of a special military operation or outside the country. Moreover, we are not talking about any mobilization," Tsimlyansky added.

He clarified that reservists are those who previously served in Citizens who voluntarily signed a contract to stay in the reserve in the Armed Forces or other law enforcement agencies. The transfer of reservists to special training camps, as well as to other military training camps, will be carried out on the basis of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he explained.