Putin sends conscripts to fight in Kursk region

The Financial times looked into the situation.

Instead, Russia has gathered units from various regions of the country, including less active areas of the Ukrainian front, and sent conscripts on compulsory service to Kursk.

The situation has alarmed citizens, and many have sought help from organisations that help avoid conscription.

Ivan Chuvilaev of the Russian NGO Go to the Forest, which helps evade mobilisation, noted a sharp increase in requests from conscripts and their families. He said the mobilisation of conscripts now covers the whole country.

The original group of Russian troops in the Kursk region consisted of FSB border guards, fighters from the Chechen Akhmat battalion and local units. However, additional forces from the Leningrad and Moscow military districts have now been transferred here, including conscripts who do not want to serve.

Although Ukraine continues to advance deep into Russian territory, occupying population centres such as Suja, Moscow is in no hurry to move significant forces from the eastern front, where Russian forces continue to advance in Donbass.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have destroyed a key bridge in the Kursk region, complicating Russian defences in the western part of the region.

Although Russian troops in Kursk region are noticeably outnumbered by Ukrainian troops, Russia still has an air advantage. However, experts doubt the ability of Russian conscripts to repel the Ukrainian offensive.

According to Russian military analyst Yuriy Fedorov, the forces gathered in Kursk have no experience of joint combat operations and have not had time to work together.

We shall remind you that Putin had previously said that conscripts would not be sent to combat zones. However, the law restricting their sending to the front is often circumvented. Chuvilaev said that conscripts are forced to sign contracts and their documents are forged to give the appearance of longer service.

In response, mothers of conscripts have published petitions demanding that their children be removed from the war zone, reminding Putin of his promises.