11:58 30.03.2023

Russia preparing to call up another 400,000 troops, probably using coercion – British intelligence

1 min read
Russia preparing to call up another 400,000 troops, probably using coercion – British intelligence

The Russian Federation is preparing to start recruiting an additional 400,000 troops, according to a defense intelligence report published on Twitter by the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Thursday morning.

“Russian media reporting suggests that the authorities are preparing to start a major military recruitment campaign with the aim of signing up an additional 400,000 troops. Russia is presenting the campaign as a drive for volunteer, professional personnel, rather than a new, mandatory mobilization,” the report reads.

At the same time, British intelligence analysts believe that ”there is a realistic possibility that in practice this distinction will be blurred, and that regional authorities will try to meet their allocated recruitment targets by coercing men to join up.”

“Russian authorities have likely selected a supposedly ‘volunteer model’ to meet their personnel shortfall in order to minimise domestic dissent. It is highly unlikely that the campaign will attract 400,000 genuine volunteers,” the analysts conclude.

At the same time, they note another very significant factor: “rebuilding Russia’s combat power in Ukraine will require more than just personnel; Russia needs more munitions and military equipment supplies than it currently has available.”

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