Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to speak to representatives of the National Security Council in Moscow on Thursday. “We will show it on TV,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at noon in Moscow, according to the Interfax agency. It can be assumed that Putin will also respond to the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine, said Peskov.
According to official figures, 498 Russians have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine a week ago. Ukraine, on the other hand, speaks of almost 9,000 Russians killed. The information cannot be independently verified.
Asked about media reports speculating about a possible planned imposition of martial law in Russia, Putin’s spokesman said: “No, those are ducks.” He was also asked about rumors that men of military age would be banned from leaving Russia from next Tuesday. “It’s all in social networks and so on, it’s all pure ducks,” said Peskow.
Fearing being drafted into a possible general mobilization for a war against Ukraine, numerous young men had reported that they would rather leave the country. They wanted to wait abroad until the war was over. Thousands of people have been arrested over the past few days during illegal protests against the war.