Lured by Russia, African soldiers end up on deadly front lines of Ukraine war
www.banxnetwork.com

... Investigations and testimonies describe how African recruits were promised jobs or support roles, then were sent -- often unknowingly and with language barriers -- to the front lines fighting for Russia in Ukraine, with very high casualty rates reported. ...

The Death Zone': How Russia Is Luring Africans to Ukraine (May 2026)
www.nytimes.com

... A growing number of men across the continent say they are being promised jobs in Russia, only to be forced into the war. Some go as mercenaries, but many more are drawn unwittingly. ...

Putin Preparing to Mobilize 500,000 Russians as Public Opinion Plummets
www.newsweek.com

... Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to call up hundreds of thousands of new soldiers to fight in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as the Kremlin tries to balance its high casualty count with public opinion turning away from the war.

Putin will mobilize between 300,000 and 500,000 people for Russia's military at the start of October, Zelensky said in an interview with British broadcaster, Sky News.

A new wave of mobilization would be a sign of the strain nearly four and a half years of war in Ukraine has placed on Russia, and would risk stoking anger in a Russian population increasingly feeling the impact of the conflict. ...

When Putin called up 300,000 reservists in fall 2022, protests broke out across Russia and tens of thousands of people fled the country to avoid serving in the military. ...