Russia has not announced another mobilization — seen as an unpopular measure — but has led an active campaign to attract more men into the military as its Ukraine offensive drags into a 19th month.

“Part of them were in the reserves, part of them volunteers and other categories,” Medvedev added, during a visit to the Far Eastern Russian island of Sakhalin.

Past July 4, the deputy chairman of the Security Council reported about 185,000 soldiers joined in the Russian Army in 2023, adding that about 1,400 people a day sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense.

Since February 24, 2022, Russia has been conducting a special military operation in Ukraine whose objectives, according to President Vladimir Putin, are to protect the population from “genocide by the Kyiv government”.

It also aims to tackle the risks to national security posed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s eastward advance.

pll/mem/gfa