[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's largest autumn military conscription since 2016 as he continues his assault on Ukraine.The Kremlin despot wants 135,000 men between 18 and 30 years old to join the country's military service in a significantly bulked-up version of its seasonal recruitment drive.
Russia calls up young males for compulsory service each spring and autumn, which typically sees them serve for a year at a military base within the country.
Though there have been reports of conscripts being instantly put on the frontline, there is no guarantee that the latest recruits will be sent straight to war.
However, it is believed the Kremlin is feeling increased pressure to maintain an offensive after the death and injury toll for Russian soldiers well surpassed one million.
In a decree issued on Monday, Putin ordered 'the conscription of 135,000 citizens of the Russian Federation from October 1 to December 31, 2025'.
Combined with the 160,000 Russians called up in the spring, it means 2025 is set to see the largest total number of call-ups to its military in nearly a decade.
Since launching his assault on Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has put Russia on a war footing and boosted military spending to levels unseen since the Soviet era.