Russian military commanders are reportedly compelling conscripted soldiers to sign open-ended service contracts under threat of being sent on high-casualty assaults, according to an intelligence update from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) dated 21 February 2025.
Citing information from independent Russian outlet Verstka, the update says that men mobilised in 2022 are “forced” to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence, which “can reportedly run indefinitely.”
Those who refuse allegedly face deployment on so-called ‘meat grinder’ assaults with survival rates as low as 10-15%.
“Russian efforts to coerce mobilised soldiers to sign indefinite contracts are highly likely motivated in part by a lack of experienced soldiers,” the update explains, noting that “Russia has sustained approximately 860,000 killed and wounded since invading Ukraine in 2022.”
The shortage of trained personnel, it adds, has led Russia’s leadership to push existing troops into long-term service to avoid additional, potentially unpopular mobilisations.
The MoD report further claims that President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 partial mobilisation prompted “hundreds of thousands of young and educated Russians” to leave the country, contributing to “long-term difficulties” in Russia’s labour market.
The UK intelligence assessment draws attention to what it describes as Russia’s diminishing pool of adequately trained soldiers, saying Moscow “almost certainly perceives” these indefinite contracts as a way to stave off fresh domestic discontent over further recruitment drives.
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Even the lib dems are now calling for 3% defence spending, i know they have the benefit of being unlikely to ever be in government again so they can say stuff wothout having to follow through. However it does show there is near universal parliamentary support for increased defence spending. It looks like attitudes to defence are changing and the MoD is no longer just a piggy bank to take money from and put into other departments. Obviously there is still some vocal holdouts but they are in the minority.
I watched the Lib Dem Leader talking earlier, He made a lot of sense and his words will be taken on board even though he has no real clout. I hope all opposition parties do the same.
In just two weeks we have seen a new side to US diplomacy and It’s been a real wake up call for Europe to say the least. Trump throwing Ukraine under a train and cosying up to Putin is seriously worrying. Trumps Bestie Musk Cosying up to Argentina’s President is another worry. Seeing Milei giving Musk that chainsaw is a real potential Issue for FI’s future.
From this little Englishman’s view point, It appears that the Lunatics have deffo taken over the Asylum.
Whatever next ?
If we could just purge the pro Trump and Putin camps in the Tory and Reform parties, we see to genuinely have a chance to build a multi-decade consensus on defence spending at a new level of 3+%.
The problem is that both parties appear to prefer to focus on the cultural war nonsense, rather the actual threat that’s in front of us – a physical threat from the Russians and concerted campaigns of espionage and disinformation from MAGA/Russian/Chinese.
I rather suspect the leaderships of Tories/Reform are bought and paid for by MAGA and Putin.
I don’t think they are bought but as with most politicians they are thinking of what to do after they are MPs and trying to cozy up to the right people. I bet in 15 or so years we see a lot of higher ups in Reform and the current tory leadership get jobs in businesses owned by Trump, Musk or the other billionaires in his cabinet.
Ed Davey is loving life atm, so many easy political points against both the tories and reform for there slow criticism of Trump and Musk. He also knows he won’t have to back track on what he says about both Trump and Musk like the labour cabinet ministers had to do when they got in power.
True.
They have the US’s backing so why not
Trump’s inability to see that Russia’s invasion has effectively failed shows how out of touch with reality he is. We always knew he was inarticulate and lacked knowledge or understanding of history. But to see him come out with one stupid idea after another is shocking. Equally worrying is that if he is impeached or assassinated, we would get Vance.
They are all delusional! More B/S now from the NSA who was pro Ukraine now suddenly against,Europe is ‘loaning’ the interest from the frozen orc assets so we will get ‘our’ money back so Ukraine should cough up to the US! Really what planet are these morons on?🤬
3% minimum rate.