Russia has seen a significant jump in the number of people signing contracts to join the armed forces since a deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow, said the country’s defense ministry, according to Reuters.
In a statement, it said more than 100,000 people signed contracts with the military since the start of the year, including about 16,000 in the past 10 days alone after a mass shooting at the Crocus City Hall killed at least 144 people.
Despite the fact that the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, Russia continues to accuse Ukraine and the West, providing no evidence of their involvement in the mass shooting. Kyiv has repeatedly denied the claims, while the US has dismissed them as nonsense.
At the same time, Russia launches dozens of drones and missile attacks on Ukraine, resulting in a high number of casualties among civilians. Moreover, the occupiers shell Ukrainian settlements and carry out air strikes almost every day.
Experts say the attack benefited the Kremlin and helped the Russian authorities unite the population around one enemy – Ukraine and promote Moscow’s imperial propaganda, as per Rubryka.
“During interviews conducted over the past week at selection points in Russian cities, most candidates indicated the desire to avenge those killed in the tragedy that occurred on 22 March 2024 in the Moscow region as the main motive for concluding a contract,” the Russian defense ministry said.
Russia, which began the war against Ukraine in February 2022, has been slowly advancing in the past months after a Ukrainian counteroffensive last year failed to make significant gains due to the lack of proper military training in the Ukrainian army and delays in supplying the forces with crucial weapons, including ammunition and equipment.
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