Russia vows to fix mistakes after old, sick people mobilised
September 26, 2022, 8:19 am

Russia vows to fix mistakes after old, sick people mobilised

Moscow will cease to be a party to the European Convention on Human Rights on Sept. 16 - Photo. Pixabay

Russian authorities on Sunday (Sep 25) promised to fix the mistakes in their troop call-up for Ukraine, after some public outrage over students, older or sick people being mistakenly ordered to report for duty.

When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilisation on Wednesday, he said only people with "relevant" skills or military experience would be concerned.

But many expressed outrage after seeing - sometimes absurd - cases of authorities summoning people unfit for service.

Authorities in the southwestern Russian region of Volgograd sent a 63-year-old diabetic ex-military staffer to training camp, despite poor health and cerebral issues.

The 63-year-old came back home Friday night, according to Russian state agency RIA Novosti.

In the same region, 58-year-old school director Alexander Faltin received a call-up order despite having no military experience.

Riot police detain demonstrators during a protest against mobilization, in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 21, 2022.

His daughter posted a video on social media that became viral.

He was allowed home after his documents were reviewed, according to RIA.

A rare admission

Upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko called on all governors - who oversee the mobilisation campaigns - to avoid mistakes, in a rare admission on Sunday.

"Incorrect cases of mobilisation... are provoking fierce reactions in society, and rightly so," Matviyenko said in a statement on Telegram.

"Some are assuming that handing in their report (to their superiors) quickly is more important than correctly fulfilling this important mission," she added.

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"This is unacceptable ... Make sure that partial mobilisation is carried out in full and complete compliance with the criteria. And without a single mistake!" she ordered.

The governor of the northwestern Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko told local districts heads to "take the residents' appeals under your personal control and deal with each single case," according to a statement on his administration's website Sunday.

The Vladimir region governor Vladimir Avdeev already said Saturday that "anyone mobilised by mistake will return home."

The errors are painted as isolated cases.

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But the very fact that Russian authorities are talking about them point to concerns about the level of indignation coming from some of the population.

'Undermining confidence'

This new example is Russia's latest logistical issue revealed since the beginning of the Ukraine offensive in February.

Russia announced on Saturday the replacement of its highest ranking general in charge of logistics amid this mobilisation drive.

On Saturday Valeriy Fadeev, chairman of the human rights council to the Kremlin, had urged defence minister Sergei Shoigu to "urgently resolve issues" to avoid "undermining the confidence of the people."

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He mentioned several aberrations including the recruitments of 70 fathers of large families in the far eastern region of Buryatia, and of nurses and midwives without any military skills.

Fadeev said these recruits were called up "under threat of criminal prosecution."

Fadeev also criticised those "handing out summons at 2 am as if they all thought we were draft evaders."

Several students told AFP they were given call-up papers, despite Russian authorities promising they would be left out of the recruitment drive.

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On Saturday, Putin signed a decree confirming students in secondary vocational and higher education institutions would be exempted from mobilisation.

Detained anti-mobilisation protesters said police gave them call-up papers in custody - ordering them to enlist in the very effort they were denouncing.

But the Kremlin defended the procedure on Thursday, saying "it isn't against the law".

Source: cna

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.