Russian Troop Shortage Is Exposed After Ukraine’s Incursion, Raising Risk of New Draft
- Putin’s pay hikes for new troops aim to avoid mobilization
- Ukraine’s intervention into Russia showed weakness of defenses
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A deepening shortage of soldiers for its war in Ukraine is prompting Russia to hike recruitment bonuses to avoid a repeat of an unpopular mobilization. So far, there’s little sign it’s working.
The military isn’t getting enough new soldiers to keep pace with frontline losses that are at their highest since the February 2022 invasion began, according to three people close to the Kremlin and the Russian Defense Ministry, asking not to be identified because the issue is sensitive. Regional officials are leaving more than a third of their recruitment quotas unfilled on average, a person familiar with the situation said.