On January 11, 2023, russian Deputy Chair of the Security Council, Dmitri Medvedev, stated that 500,000 people had joined the russian armed forces in 2023. It is highly likely that this figure has been substantially inflated, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
In its efforts to meet recruitment targets, the russian military has since April 2023 allowed school-leavers to sign contracts with the russian army. Recent data published by Mediazona and the BBC russian Service suggests that at least five russians born in 2005 have died in the conflict.
Read more: The UK Defense Intelligence: Ukrainian UAVs Strike russian Equipment in Krynky, 90% Destroyed by FPV Drones
It is highly likely that russian military recruitment to sustain the war has disproportionately drawn from impoverished and rural regional communities of russia.
Read more: The UK Defense Intelligence: Cold Snap Dictates Battlefield Dynamics in Ukraine
