Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of another 133,000 soldiers to aid his war in Ukraine.
The 18-to-30 year olds will be called up between tomorrow and December 31, but parents have raised fear that the untrained conscripts will be thrust straight into ‘hot’ border regions close to the war zone.
The figure is higher than the same draft last year when Putin recruited 130,000, and in spring when he drafted another 150,000.
The Russian regime is facing an increasing backlash over use of conscripts close to the war zone in defiance of an earlier Putin promise to parents that he would not put recruits in harm’s way.
Russia is spending its future, both economically and demographically, and can’t avoid the consequences. But will those consequences hit them in time to help Ukraine?
Even if they are able to grind down Ukraine, can they really be hoping the Ukrainian economy will help Russia rebuild, after its bombed to hell and back?