Russia launches national recruitment drive for additional troops amid war in Ukraine: ISW

Amid the raging war between Moscow and Kyiv in Eastern Europe, the Institute for Study of War (ISW), a US-based think tank, stated that Russia has started a national recruitment drive for more troops. In its latest war report, the ISW claimed that the development comes in the wake of Russia's failures in Ukraine's Kharkiv region. It further stated that Russia's position in the region has "certainly weakened" as a result of the draining of a significant portion of the forces initially stationed there. 

"This recruitment revamp is likely to secure more support for the Kremlin among nationalist figures who are increasingly critical of the Russian Ministry of Defence, even if the drive does not generate large numbers of combat-effective troops," the ISW said in a statement. According to ISW, the Kremlin's efforts to protect select federal subjects from recruiting drives have probably been abandoned, which could intensify social tensions. Earlier, ISW claimed that the Kremlin made an effort to prevent Moscow City residents from learning about the creation of the volunteer regiment known as the "Sobyaninsky Polk" with headquarters in Moscow.

The ISW report noted that Russia is responding to Ukraine's retaliation in Kharkiv Oblast by intensifying "crypto-mobilization" instead of creating the circumstances for widespread mobilisation. Meanwhile, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, urged all federal subjects to begin "self-mobilization" and not wait for the Kremlin to impose martial law. Kadyrov stressed that rather than making speeches and holding "pointless public events", each federal subject must demonstrate its willingness to aid Russia by recruiting at least 1,000 servicemen. 

Russian President signs decree to raise strength of country's Armed Forces

In late August, Russian President Putin signed a decree to raise the staff strength of the country's Armed Forces from 1,37,000 servicemen, bringing their total number to 1.5 million (1,150,628). According to the previous decree signed in 2017, the authorised strength of the Russian Armed Forces was 1,902,758, including 1,013,628 soldiers. According to reports, the relevant documents related to the latest decree were published on the portal of legal information. This comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated for more than six months now, with no sign of ending anytime soon. 

Image: AP