Ukrainian firefighters clear rubble at a factory destroyed by a Russian raid in the city of Sloviansk, in the war-affected region of eastern Ukraine, as Russia’s offensive in Ukraine continues, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, August 27, 2020. Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters
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Aug 28 (Reuters) – Britain’s Ministry of Defense said on Sunday it was not yet clear how Russia would achieve a significant increase in its armed forces, but that the reinforcements were unlikely to significantly increase its fighting power in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last week to increase the size of Russia’s armed forces to 2.04 million from 1.9 million as the war in Ukraine entered its seventh month. Read more
Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in a regular update on the war that it was not clear whether this would be achieved by recruiting more volunteers or increasing conscription.
Either way, it likely won’t have a significant impact on the war in Ukraine given that “Russia has lost tens of thousands of troops; very few new contract soldiers are being recruited; and conscripts are not technically obligated to serve outside Russian territory,” the ministry said on Twitter. .
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(Covering by Barangut Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Francis Kerry
Our criteria: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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