The UK’s British Ministry of Defence (MoD) intelligence update says that Vladimir Putin is looking to recruit a further 400,000 soldiers for the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin are looking to increase their army to 1.34 million this year and then another 1.5 million the next.
Ukraine are looking into building up their army this year by lowering the conscription age. Previously President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Moscow are planning to mobilise 300,000 by 1 June, although this is probably not the “final draft.”
Russia is continuing their conscription campaign of around 150,000 aged between 18 and 30 this spring.
There is likely some reluctance among Russian authorities to risk combat casualties among conscript soldiers, which would likely be unpopular,” the UK Defense Ministry’s intelligence said.
“Casualties among volunteer soldiers are more tolerated by society.”
