Employees of at least five Russian airlines and more than ten airports receive mobilisation subpoenas

EMPLOYEES of at least five Russian airlines and more than ten airports received military subpoenas relating to the partial mobilisation decree passed by President Putin on Wednesday, September 21.

Reports coming out of Russia on Friday, September 23, have revealed that employees of at least five Russian airlines, including Aeroflot Group, and more than a dozen airports have been served with military subpoenas following the announcement of a “partial mobilisation”.

This was reported by the Kommersant news outlet and according to their sources in the three companies, 50-80 per cent of employees could potentially be mobilised.

The newspaper’s sources also said that the majority of pilots in the airlines are reserve officers trained in the military departments of flying schools and have already completed their compulsory military service.

A source close to Aeroflot group estimated the number of “potential conscripts” in all three carriers (including Russia and Pobeda) at more than half the staff.

Aeroflot, S7, UTair, Red Wings and other carriers refrained from official comments to the news outlet.

The biggest concern of the airlines is that not only pilots but also technical specialists, IT specialists and commercial staff will be laid off.

The departure of one or more people could put a brake on or paralyse all work, the newspaper said.

Since the announcement of a partial mobilisation in Russia, different reports have been circulating about the number of people due to be called up by the Russian Army.

According to news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe on Thursday, September 22, the classified seventh paragraph of the mobilisation decree allows Russia’s Defence Ministry to conscript one million people.

However, speaking on Russia’s Rossiya 24 TV channel, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday, September 21 said that 300,000 reservists will be called up during the partial mobilisation.

Later, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied claims that Russia allegedly had plans to call up to one million people as part of partial mobilisation.

“This is a lie,” a Kremlin spokesman told Russian state-owned media outlet RIA Novosti.

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