The US president said Putin "has gone crazy" and kills a lot of people "needlessly," while 355 Russian drones targeted Ukrainian territory in the third consecutive night of massive attacks. Chancellor Friedrich Merz also declared that Ukraine is now free to strike deep inside Russia with Western long-range weapons.
Since the full-scale invasion began, Moscow mobilized 1.3 million troops and nearly one million of Russian soldiers were killed or wounded during this time, while the Kremlin remains committed to the war of attrition in Ukraine.
Russia is recruiting 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers monthly through financial incentives rather than formal conscription, according to US and EU intelligence sources.
Russia lures migrants from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan by offering them high-paying jobs in "reconstruction" on occupied Ukrainian territories and a potential Russian citizenship, but many end up in the military service due to unprotected rights and manipulations.