I don’t see what difference it makes...….
If Mongol Putin declares war, then forced conscription of Moscow and St Petersburg mall rat tick tockers begins. Their money accounts will be blocked starting May 9 so they can’t dodge the draft.
Declaring war legally means he can authorize full mobilization, calling up all reservists (mostly ill-trained conscripts whose contracts expired) without bothering to giving them any additional training, throwing them into the fray as literal cannon fodder.