BY JAMIE MCINTYRE

BRING YOUR OWN SUPPLIES: As Russian men flee conscription by the tens of thousands, those who are being forced into service are finding that they will be going to war with little training and equipment and led by officers as befuddled as they are.

Numerous videos on social media show newly mobilized draftees being briefed that they need to bring their own supplies. “All the Army provides you with is uniforms and armor. There is nothing else,” one female soldier tells fresh recruits. She advises they bring their own medical supplies, including diarrhea tablets, hydrogen peroxide, and tourniquets. “Guys just don’t laugh,” she says as she advises they “gut” car first aid kits and ask their wives and mothers for “pads and tampons.”

“You know what the tampons are for? To stop the bleeding,” she says. “You stick it right in the bullet wound and that’s it. The tampon begins to swell and closes the wound.”

In another video, an officer is heard telling a lineup of troops that he was pulled off his vacation and pressed into service as a commander three days ago, just like them. He tells them they’ll get 30 days of training and then he doesn’t know where they will go or if he’ll be going with them.

“What we’ll be supplied with, I also don’t know,” he says. And as for people with serious medical conditions, “hernias, knees, half-blind,” he informs them they are still eligible to serve. “Don’t tell me you can’t. I can’t either,” he says. “I survive on pills and blockers.”

A list sent to Russian draftees asks them to bring their own helmets, medicine, flashlights, and bulletproof vests. Meanwhile, a video posted by Ukrainian troops shows the poor protection provided by some Russian helmets, which can be easily pierced with a knife.

‘FIRST PORTIONS’ OF RUSSIAN RESERVISTS REACH UKRAINE, PENTAGON SAYS

THE MASS EXODUS CONTINUES: The number of military-age men who have escaped to Kazakhstan, Georgia, or Turkey is now estimated at over 200,000.

“In the seven days since President Putin announced the ‘partial mobilization’ there has been a considerable exodus of Russians seeking to evade call-up. Whilst exact numbers are unclear, it likely exceeds the size of the total invasion force Russia fielded in February 2022,” the British Defense Ministry said in a tweet.

“The better off and well educated are overrepresented amongst those attempting to leave Russia,” the ministry said. “When combined with those reservists who are being mobilized, the domestic economic impact of reduced availability of labor and the acceleration of ‘brain drain’ is likely to become increasingly significant.”

A 32-year-old Russian man who arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday told the Washington Post that because of his ethnic Ukrainian roots, he had no choice but to flee, leaving his wife and 1-year-old son behind.

“Of course, it was a very difficult decision,” he said. “I can’t go to war and kill people in Ukraine. And if I stayed, there was no other option.”

GET OUT NOW!: The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is urging Americans, especially those with dual citizenship, to leave Russia immediately, warning that they could get swept up in the draft or find it impossible to get out later as “conditions, including transportation options, may suddenly become even more limited.”

“Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service,” the embassy said in a security alert.

“U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia and those residing or traveling in Russia should depart Russia immediately while limited commercial travel options remain,” the alert said. “Commercial flight options are extremely limited at present and are often unavailable on short notice. Overland routes by car and bus are still open.”

US EMBASSY IN RUSSIA URGES AMERICANS TO LEAVE 'IMMEDIATELY'

Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Stacey Dec. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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HAPPENING TODAY: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a closed hearing this afternoon to get an update on the Russian invasion of Ukraine from Victoria Nuland, undersecretary of state for political affairs; Jessica Lewis, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs; Brett Holmgren, assistant secretary of state intelligence and research; and Erin McKee, assistant administrator for Europe and Eurasia, U.S. Agency for International Development.

ALSO TODAY: Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will hold a joint news conference in the Senate Radio-TV gallery on "efforts in the U.S. Senate to condemn any action by the Russian Federation to claim sovereignty over any portion of Ukraine."

MORE HIMARS FOR UKRAINE, BUT NOT RIGHT AWAY: The $1.1 billion package of arms and military equipment announced yesterday includes 18 additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, which have proven to be one of Ukraine's most effective battlefield weapons.

But because the latest commitment is not drawn from U.S. inventories but is funded under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, a program that procures capabilities from industry, the systems will be purchased new and therefore won’t be delivered for a few years.

“This USAI package underscores the U.S. commitment to continuing to support Ukraine over the long term,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “It represents a multi-year investment in critical capabilities to build the enduring strength of Ukraine’s armed forces as it continues to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory in the face of Russian aggression.”

The HIMARS will be a “core component of Ukraine’s fighting force in the future,” a senior defense official told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $1 BILLION UKRAINE AID PACKAGE

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL: The latest tranche of military aid comes as the United States and its allies are developing plans to build up Ukraine’s army into a fighting force that can defeat and deter Russia long into the future.

At a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels on Wednesday, chaired by William LaPlante, the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, nearly 20 countries committed to “strengthen and expand their nations’ industrial base to accelerate production” of key weapons systems, according to a Pentagon readout.

“With the aim of providing long-term support to Ukraine, participants recognized the importance of standardizing requirements, thereby creating more interchangeable and interoperable systems,” the statement said. “In addition, they discussed building sustainment capacity in Ukraine, including forward repair activity, access to spares, and other sustainment enablers.”

HARRIS AT THE DMZ: Vice President Kamala Harris wrapped up her four-day trip to Japan and South Korea this week with a tour of the Demilitarized Zone that divides North Korea and South Korea.

“Here, you see at the DMZ U.S. soldiers serving shoulder to shoulder with soldiers from the Republic of Korea,” Harris said before jetting back to Washington. “I cannot state enough that the commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad.”

Harris noted that North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles yesterday, in addition to one on Sunday, and called the launches “destabilizing” to the “peace and security” of the region. “Our shared goal, the United States and the Republic of Korea, is a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” she said, according to a pool report.

KIM JONG UN'S NORTH KOREA FIRES TWO BALLISTIC MISSILES ONE DAY BEFORE KAMALA HARRIS'S DMZ VISIT

NATO: GAS PIPELINE BLASTS ‘DELIBERATE, RECKLESS, AND IRRESPONSIBLE ACTS OF SABOTAGE’: In a statement this morning, NATO said the explosions that breached the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines that carry natural gas from Russia to Germany were the results of sabotage, but it stopped short of accusing Russia or any other country of targeting the undersea pipelines.

“All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage,” the statement said. “We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage.”

The NATO statement comes as a fourth leak has been reported off southern Sweden, according to the Swedish coast guard.

PLUMB NOM ADVANCES: The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 21 to 5 to advance the nomination of Radha Plumb to be deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment.

The nomination now goes to the full Senate, along with eight military promotions in the Army, Navy, and Space Force that were approved by a voice vote en bloc.

FILLING BIG SHOES: Tara Copp, senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense One, is moving to the Associated Press to work alongside Lolita Baldor in its Pentagon office, she announced on Twitter.

“This opportunity was created by the retirement of a legend, Bob Burns. It's made me quite contemplative, and my thoughts came down to this: I will never be able to fill Bob's shoes — but I am so honored to be able to follow in his footsteps,” Copp tweeted.

INDUSTRY WATCH: Northrop Grumman said it has surpassed the production and delivery of more than 100,000 Precision Guidance Kits for 155 mm artillery projectiles, an upgrade that transforms conventional projectiles in inventory into satellite-guided precision weapons.

The Army program replaces standard fuzing with an upgrade that allows the projectile to be guided by two signals from GPS satellites to increase accuracy and includes a safety feature that prevents detonation if the projectile misses its target.

“PGK’s precision provides a critical capability to artillery units, enabling forces to rapidly achieve mission success by reducing the number of rounds required to defeat targets,” said Dave Fine, vice president for armament systems, Northrop Grumman. “Throughout our 100,000 deliveries, we’ve maintained superior performance, surpassing the Army’s objectives for both accuracy and reliability.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: ‘First portions’ of Russian reservists reach Ukraine, Pentagon says

Washington Examiner: US Embassy in Russia urges Americans to leave 'immediately'

Washington Examiner: Biden administration announces $1 billion Ukraine aid package

Washington Examiner: ‘Truly a Nuremberg moment’: More atrocities expected to be discovered in Ukraine

Washington Examiner: US military says it was 'absolutely not involved' in Nord Stream pipeline leaks

Washington Examiner: Kim Jong Un's North Korea fires two ballistic missiles one day before Kamala Harris's DMZ visit

Washington Examiner: US downs Iranian drone amid Revolutionary Guard strikes in Iraq

Washington Examiner: CBP calls in 'suicidologist' as workforce deaths rise

AP: Russia poised to annex occupied Ukraine after sham vote

CNN: European Security Officials Observed Russian Navy Ships In Vicinity Of Nord Stream Pipeline Leaks

Washington Post: As protests rage on, Iran carries out strikes against Kurds in Iraq

New York Times: Far From Routine, Asia Trip Presents Thorny Tests for Harris

USNI News: Chinese Launch Assault Craft From Civilian Car Ferries In Mass Amphibious Invasion Drill, Satellite Photos Show

Breaking Defense: After Months Of Waiting, Biden’s National Security Strategy Is ‘Coming Soon’

Breaking Defense: France, UK Pledge Big Increases In Defense Spending For Coming Years

Hawaii News Now: As Defense Secretary Arrives On Oahu, Families Sickened By Fuel-Tainted Water Demand Help

Bloomberg: Giant Orca Drone for US Navy Is Faltering on Boeing Shortcomings, GAO Says

USNI News: GAO: Navy’s XLUUV Undersea Minelayer $242M Over Budget, 3 Years Behind Schedule

CNN: Navy Proposes Stringent Blood Testing For Elite SEALs Training Program To Address Drug Use

Marine Corps Times: Will The Marines Be The Only Branch To Reach 2022 Recruitment Numbers?

Air & Space Forces Magazine: Wargame Ends Better With ‘Trans-Domain’ Moves Plugged In, Hinote Says

Air & Space Forces Magazine: Objects Accumulating in Orbit Put Space at Risk of Becoming ‘Unmanageable,’ Vice CSO Says

Air & Space Forces Magazine: CSO Raymond on ‘The State of the Space Force’

CNN: IG Identifies ‘Concerns’ With Defense Department Phone Messaging Apps In Probe Of Missing January 6 Texts

19fortyfive.com: Fact or Fiction: Did Russia Build 100 Nuclear Bomb 'Suitcases'?

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Defense News: Opinion: Rep. Rob Wittman: It’s time for Congress to bring back ‘Defense Valley’

Calendar

THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 29

9 a.m. — Center for European Policy Analysis concludes virtual three-day CEPA forum: “Meeting the Moment: Allies at a Crossroads,” with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); Sen. James Risch (R-ID); James Foggo, distinguished fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis; and others. Full agenda: https://cepa.org/events/cepa-forum/agenda/ Register: https://cepa.org/events/cepa-forum

10 a.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation Subcommittee hearing: "Assessing the Biden Administration's U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa." https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings

11:30 a.m. Senate Radio/TV Gallery, U.S. Capitol — Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) news conference on "efforts in the U.S. Senate to condemn any action by the Russian Federation to claim sovereignty over any portion of Ukraine."

3 p.m. — Center for American Progress virtual discussion: “The crisis in Ukraine, competition with China, human rights, and the role of the U.S. in the world,” with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall https://www.americanprogress.org/events/a-conversation-with-air-force-secretary

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