The Russian president has drafted a further 130,000 new recruits to his war against Ukraine. 

The most recent conscripts to Vladimir Putin’s war, now in its 18th month, were explicitly assured they would not find themselves sent to the war zone. 

Such promises, however, have proven hollow in the past. 

A number of new conscripts perished when Ukrainian missiles sunk the Moskva cruiser in the Black Sea last April, while others have swiftly found themselves held as prisoners of war after being deployed to the frontlines. 

The most recent batch of recruits brings the total number of those aged 18 to 27 years for 2023 to 277,000. 

Rear-Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky is understood to have told them they would not be sent to the occupied regions of Ukraine, all of which remain close to sites of active conflict. 

He said: ‘Fresh military conscripts will not be deployed to the Luhansk and Donetsk people’s republics, Kherson region or Zaporizhzhia region to perform tasks in the special military operation zone.’

He added: ‘The term of military service under conscription will amount to 12 months, as before.

‘I’d like to stress the General Staff has no plans for a further mobilisation.’

Tsimlyansky’s comments come amid speculation the Kremlin intends to further expand the nation-wide conscription drive, not least given Putin’s decision to increase the autumn quota by approximately 10,000 this time last year. 

There are widespread reports of Russian authorities pressuring prospective recruits to sign papers formally admitting them into the country’s armed forces – in many cases, with little to no military training. 

It comes after Putin addressed the nation to mark the Day of Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, during which he vowed nothing would stop him achieving ‘victory’ in Ukraine.

He said: ‘Nothing and no-one can break the will of millions of people, or their belief in truth and historical justice. 

‘I thank all the citizens of the country for this solidarity and patriotism.’

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