Ukrainians forced to fight against Ukraine. Russia announced the annexation of new territories
Russian authorities are stepping up mobilization policy of forced conscription of Ukrainians into the army. The Ukrainian Center for Counteracting Disinformation indicates that these actions are aimed at replenishing Russia's military losses through illegal conscription in the occupied territories, writes the Euronews website.
The forced passportization campaign, conducted by Russia since its annexation of Crimea in 2014, was expanded after a full-scale invasion in 2022 of other occupied territories in Ukraine. Citizens who refuse to accept a Russian passport are deprived of access to basic services such as health care, education and social assistance. Additionally, they cannot leave the occupied areas without Russian documents, which leads to the deterioration of their living conditions.
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In March, the Kremlin ordered all Ukrainians in the occupied areas to accept Russian passports by September 10, and if they did not agree, they were to leave the country. As a result, many Ukrainians were forcibly conscripted into the Russian army and forced to fight against their own country.
According to data from the Eastern Human Rights Group and the Institute for Strategic Studies and Security, since the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, Russia has mobilized about 300,000. men from the occupied areas of Ukraine. This information was also confirmed by the Ukrainian intelligence services.
Year-round conscription into the Russian army
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law introducing year-round military conscription, replacing the current twice-yearly system. Under the new regulations, conscripts will enter military service only in selected spring and summer months, just like before. Russia appoints from 130,000 up to 160 thousand soldiers in each round of conscription.
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Although conscripts cannot officially be sent abroad, many of them are forced to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, which allows them to be sent to the front in Ukraine. Even without signing such agreements, conscripts were already sent to the annexed Crimea.
Russia increases the size of its army
Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been gradually increasing the size of its army, which initially numbered one million soldiers. Last year, Putin ordered an increase in the number of active military personnel by 180,000, and last month he announced that more than 700,000. soldiers are taking part in fighting in Ukraine, Euronews reports.
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The Russian authorities have introduced an electronic register of conscripts, which allows sending summons online in some regions of the country. Additionally, people who ignore the notices face strict restrictions, such as a ban on banking transactions, suspension of their driving license or a block on foreign trips.
After failures at the beginning of the war, in 2022 Putin ordered the partial mobilization of 300,000 people. reservists. This decision turned out to be unpopular and led to mass flights of Russians abroad. In response, the Kremlin began to recruit volunteers, offering them high salaries and additional benefits. In 2024, approximately 440,000 people joined the Russian army. volunteers, and an additional 336 thousand people signed military contracts.
