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Russia not to involve conscripts, reservists in operation in Ukraine — Putin

The Russian leader stressed that only professional military take part in this operation - officers and volunteers

MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Only professional military - officers and volunteers - take part in the Russian operation in Ukraine, no conscripts are being involved in it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.

"Only professional military take part in this operation - officers and volunteers. There is not a single conscript there, and we do not plan [to involve conscripts], and we are not going to. I repeat, this operation only involves men who voluntarily made a very responsible choice in their life: to protect the Homeland. They carry out this task with honor," he said.

He also noted that reservists, who have already completed their military service and have been called up, will not take part in the operation in Ukraine as well.

"This is also true for those being called up. No we do not plan [to involve] this category [of people] - they are being called up regularly, […] and they will be called up in the future. But we do not plan to engage this category, and they will not take part in this conflict, in this operation," he said.