MOSCOW, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Farmers will be among Russians being drafted into the army, President Vladimir Putin said in a meeting with officials on Tuesday.
Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat. Fall is a busy season for farmers as they plant winter wheat and harvest soybeans and sunflower seeds for next year’s crop. Winter grain sowing has already been significantly delayed by rain.
“I also want to talk to regional leaders and heads of agricultural enterprises. As part of regional mobilization, agricultural workers are also being formed. Their families must be supported. I ask you to pay special attention to this issue,” Putin said. TV crowd.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on agricultural issues via video link in Sochi, Russia on September 27, 2022. Sputnik/Kavril Grigorov/Pond via REUTERS
Wednesday’s announcement of Russia’s first general mobilization since World War II has sparked a rush of eligible men to the border and unrest among the wider population amid what Moscow calls its special military operation in Ukraine.
Officials have said another 300,000 Russians will be called up to serve as part of the mobilization campaign. Some regions in southern and central Russia, such as the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine, are major grain producers.
Putin also told the meeting that Russia is on track to harvest 150 million tons of grain crops by 2022, including 100 million tons of wheat.
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Report by Paulina DeWitt; Editing by David Evans
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