Russia Expands Military Conscription Amid War in Ukraine

Russia has launched one of its largest conscription drives in years as President Vladimir Putin moves forward with plans to expand the country’s military. The recruitment effort, which began Tuesday and runs through July 15, aims to draft 160,000 men between the ages of 18 and 30 into the armed forces.

Military Expansion Efforts

Putin’s latest decree marks an increase of 10,000 recruits from last year’s spring draft and more than 15,000 from three years ago, according to Russian state media outlet TASS. Officials attribute the rise to efforts to expand Russia’s military personnel from 1 million troops three years ago to approximately 1.5 million today.

While Russia maintains that conscripts are not deployed to active combat zones without proper training, reports suggest some are coerced or misled into signing contracts that lead to their deployment to Ukraine. Others have found themselves caught in conflict zones, including last August’s surprise Ukrainian attack in the Kursk region of Russia.

War Efforts and North Korean Support

The timing of the conscription push comes as Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine, with sustained attacks in Donetsk and aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities. Moscow has also been relying on assistance from North Korean troops to counter Kyiv’s advances in the Kursk region.

According to South Korean intelligence, North Korea recently sent an additional 3,000 soldiers to support Russia’s war effort. This growing military cooperation raises concerns among Western nations about the involvement of foreign troops in the conflict.

US-Russia Diplomacy

Even as the war intensifies, diplomatic talks between the United States and Russia are ongoing. Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev is scheduled to visit Washington this week to meet with Trump administration official Steve Witkoff. His visit marks the first high-level Russian delegation to Washington since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

President Donald Trump, who has sought to mediate an end to the war, recently acknowledged in an interview with Newsmax that Russia may be “dragging their feet” in negotiations. Putin, in turn, rejected Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire and has demanded the lifting of U.S. sanctions as a precondition for halting hostilities in the Black Sea.

Uncertain Path Forward

With conscription efforts ramping up and diplomatic talks progressing slowly, the future of the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains uncertain. While Russia continues its push to strengthen military ranks, the effectiveness of these efforts—and the potential for a resolution—will depend on both battlefield developments and diplomatic negotiations in the months ahead.