Russian President Vladimir Putin has a keen interest in weaponry and likes to “try out new models,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin was filmed firing a rifle during a visit to mobilized troops in Ryazan this week.
“I do not think that this is connected to the military operation, especially since Putin took up arms far from twice, but very, very often. Completely normal practice. He himself likes to try some new models and they repeatedly present themselves to him,” he told Russian journalists on Friday.
On Thursday, Putin journeyed to training grounds in the western Ryazan Region to witness the preparation of mobilized troops first hand along with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. They were shown standard equipment issued to the draftees, including uniforms, helmets, and body armor, as well as the army-issued autumn and winter boots.
Putin also met some of the conscripts and visited a shooting range at the training grounds, where he took a few shots with a Dragunov (SVD) sniper rifle.
In late September, Putin ordered partial mobilization in Russia in order to bolster the ongoing military operation in Ukraine that began on February 24. Moscow is seeking to draft 300,000 people. More than 260,000 have already been drafted.