Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call for mobilization in his address to the nation is interpreted as the start of a new war. Political scientist Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan states that the slowdown in Russia’s military operation is a significant factor behind Ukraine’s recent military success, emphasizing that reports in Western news sources suggesting Russia is about to lose the war broke the silence from the Kremlin. Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan draws attention to the possibility of Russia advancing towards Odesa Port to cut off Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea, and states that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s warning, ‘We are approaching a major world conflict,’ should also be taken seriously.
Are we preparing for a major war?
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası İlişkiler İngilizce Bölüm Başkanı Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan, highlighted important points while commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization announcement.
Kremlin broke its silence in response to the news
Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan stated that Putin, in his address to the Russian people, declared ‘partial mobilization to protect Russia, its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and to ensure the security of the Russian people’ and continued her words as follows:
“It is clear that the slowdown in Russia’s proactive military operation is a significant factor behind Ukraine’s recent military success. We can say that the Kremlin broke its silence in response to the US increasing its arms aid to Ukraine and especially to reports in Western news sources suggesting Russia was on the verge of losing the war. Furthermore, one of the issues raised was that Russia did not react as expected to the Dugin assassination. On the other hand, the renewed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh, Pelosi’s visit to Armenia, are another leg of the West’s policy of encircling Russia. Putin’s declaration of partial mobilization after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting actually shows that he broke his silence of the past month.”
Prof. Dr. Arslan : “Russia will take tougher steps”
Emphasizing that this development indicates the West should reconsider its early victory predictions, Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan said, “This development can also be considered a sign that Russia will now take tougher steps. Referendums will be held in DPR, LPR Kherson, and Zaporozhe between September 23-27. The referendum result will most likely be in favor of Russia. After this, Russia will primarily assert its dominance in these regions in Eastern Ukraine, and an advance towards Odesa Port is highly probable. Odesa Port is Ukraine’s gateway to the Black Sea, and Russia will thus close Ukraine’s access to the sea.”
Kremlin aims to strengthen the army
Stating that the mobilization announcement covers reservists of the Russian army and compulsory military service for those with specific military specializations and experience, Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan said, “Accelerating the process of granting citizenship rights to volunteers and foreigners who sign contracts for military service is among the other decisions taken. Through this, the Kremlin is expected to strengthen the army again and demonstrate its presence in Ukraine with all its capabilities.”
Aleksandar Vucic’s warning should be taken seriously
Prof. Dr. Havva Kök Arslan concluded her words as follows: “Developments show that we are in a period where relations between Russia and China’s and the West are becoming even more complicated. It is necessary to take seriously the warning of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, from the lands where the spark that caused the First World War originated: ‘We are approaching a major world conflict, the likes of which we have not experienced since the Second World War.’”