This week, the world watched in anticipation for Russia’s Victory Day parade after President Volodymyr Zelensky commented that he could not guarantee the safety of those attending. Meanwhile, the European Union moves one step forward to banning Russian gas from the European continent. It is also revealed this week that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fallen out of step with the White House.
"(Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin... doesn't want to have a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath. Ukraine should agree to this, immediately," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to to Antalya, Turkey, for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting from May 14–16, where he is expected to address the war in Ukraine and push for stronger Allied defense commitments.
The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks during the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum, September 12,2023, in Vladivostok, Russia.(Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
The Russian army has replenished its troops by 570,000 people, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Sept. 12.
Speaking at the event's plenary session, Putin alleged that 300,000 conscripts were called up during the 2022 fall mobilization campaign.
On top of those mobilized, Putin claimed that 270,000 people voluntarily signed up to join the Russian military over the last six to seven months.
He added that up to 1,500 people do it "every day."
In August, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russia is trying to attract more volunteers to its armed forces by providing incentives like life insurance and healthcare coverage to all citizens who volunteer to fight against Ukraine.
However, the number of volunteers is not expected to meet the authorities' targets. By the end of 2023, Russia plans to recruit 420,000 military contract personnel, likely exacerbating the country's labor shortage, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 11.
Citing the Yegor Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, the analysis pointed out that Russia's industry shortage of workers already reached a new record of 42% in July 2023, a 7% increase compared to April.
The Russian authorities announced the mobilization of conscripts on Sept. 21, 2022, prompting one of the biggest waves of emigration in Russia's recent history, with hundreds of thousands of conscription-age men fleeing the country.
U.K. intelligence assessed that Moscow will likely seek to avoid further unpopular waves of mobilization in the run-up to the presidential elections in 2024.
At the same time, it is stepping up its campaign to recruit foreigners from neighboring countries and migrant workers to fight in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said.
U.K. intelligence points to the fact that there are at least six million Central Asian migrants currently in Russia, "which the Kremlin likely sees as potential recruits."
Alexander Khrebet
