Russia wants to recruit 150,000 new soldiers to the

Pressure on the front grows

Kyiv: Putin plans massive troops

According to Ukrainian information, Russia should activate more soldiers. This could cause further problems for Ukraine on the front.

According to the presidential office, Ukraine expects Russia to increase its troops by 150,000 men this year. “The Russians now have no problems recruiting personnel,” said Pawlo Palissa, Vice -President of President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, in Kiev.

This corresponds to about 15 mechanized infantry divisions. These fresh forces could not all be used equally, said the Colonel of the Suspilne radio station. The pressure of the Russians on the front will increase quickly.

Palissa did not explain what these numbers were based on. However, both warring parties are well informed about the plans of the other side by investigating or espionage. The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj had already spoken about further Russian recruits in February.

Russia urgently needs replenishment of staff. In a report by the US secret service, it states that Russia has lost a significant number of soldiers in Ukraine and also has to deal with poorly trained recruits.

The “Moscow Times” reported on Wednesday that Kreml ruler Vladimir Putin had given the goal of 160,000 new recruits. In Russia, calls take place twice a year, whereby men between the ages of 18 and 30 can be obliged to serve.

However, the Kremlin and the Ministry of Defense claimed that the conscripts are not sent in the fight and that the convening has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. In the past, however, Russian conscripts had been sent to the front.

In its analysis on Thursday, the British military secret service reported that up to 1,000 Russian recruits had been used in Kursk, for example. According to the British experts, Russia had lost more than 900,000 soldiers from death, injury, capture or desertation. “In order to compensate for this, conscripts are very likely under pressure to report to active military service and thus to be considered as a replenishment for the war against Ukraine,” the analysis says.

So far, Moscow, according to Selenskyj, has been using around 600,000 men in the war, who have an overweight on the front in the east and south of Ukraine. The Ukrainian army therefore counts around 880,000 soldiers.

After months of steady penetration in eastern Ukraine, the Russian offensive has recently slower. According to Ukrainian military observers, there have been the lowest terrain gain in March.