- Ukraine claims over 1 million Russian troop losses since February 2022.
- Russia launches largest aerial assault yet with over 500 missile and drone strikes.
- Kremlin tightens military conscription laws, reducing health-related exemptions.
Since the start of the invasion in February 2022, Ukraine’s military reports that Russia has lost over one million troops, with over a thousand casualties in a single day.
Amid mounting losses, Russia launched its most intense aerial attack yet, firing over 537 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles in a single campaign.
Moscow Tightens Draft Laws as Battlefield Losses Mount
The Russian government is pushing to shrink the percentage of conscription-age men exempt from military service, aiming to reduce this group to 16% by 2036. Currently, around 30% of men are classified as partially fit, many of whom escape frontline duty. The new guidelines propose that even individuals with chronic medical conditions—including hypertension and certain psychological disorders—can now be conscripted.
The Defense Ministry has justified the move by claiming it improves diagnostic accuracy during military medical exams. Officials argue that updates are necessary following field experience during the “special military operation,” which exposed flaws in prior health assessment protocols. Critics, however, see this as a desperate attempt to widen the pool of draftable men in the face of growing losses.
Conscription quotas have steadily risen. In 2024 alone, Russia drafted over 280,000 conscripts across two campaigns. By spring 2025, the number is expected to climb to 160,000. Laws now allow draft offices to mandate service for those previously ruled “fit” without re-evaluation, indicating a hardening stance on compliance.
These developments suggest that the Kremlin is preparing for a prolonged war with high attrition. As battlefield conditions worsen and resistance to conscription increases at home, Russia faces internal and external challenges in sustaining its military drive. Meanwhile, Ukraine, despite facing relentless attacks, remains firm in defense, backed by Western aid and high morale.
As Ukraine reports unprecedented Russian losses, Moscow intensifies conscription efforts, signaling a prolonged and grueling phase in the conflict where manpower becomes its most strained asset.
“Wars are not won by who is right, but by who is left.” — Unknown
