Putin’s desperation reaches new levels as ex-Soviet soldiers are urged to sign up

We do not know the exact number of Russian casualties in the war in Ukraine, as the Kremlin does not release official loss numbers.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia has lost nearly 1.32 million personnel since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022, but these numbers are not independently verified.

In January 2026, a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated Russian losses to have reached nearly 1.2 million at the time.

With casualties of that magnitude, it comes as no surprise that Russia is looking far and wide for ways to replenish its losses, and now a new campaign seems to be aimed at recruiting soldiers who have been out of service for decades.

Growing pressure

In a post released on Telegram, officials in Russia’s Leningrad region have called on Ukrainian war veterans and former Soviet soldiers to enlist on three-year contracts, aiming to strengthen air defence units.

And to put this into perspective: The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, meaning a soldier enlisting at the age of 18 that year would turn 53 in 2026.

The appeal follows a wave of drone attacks targeting oil export facilities, which have disrupted a vital source of state revenue and exposed gaps in protection systems.

According to regional authorities, experienced personnel are needed to operate advanced defence equipment as threats escalate.

Governor Alexander Drozdenko said in the Telegram post that new “mobile fire groups” would be deployed to counter aerial risks.

Wider challenges

Senior officials, including Sergei Shoigu and Nikolai Patrushev, have accused Finland and Baltic states of enabling Ukrainian drone operations, an allegation those countries deny.

Despite maintaining one of the world’s largest militaries, Russia is facing manpower challenges.

The Institute for the Study of War reports declining recruitment, even as the Kremlin aims to add 409,000 personnel in 2026.

Limited specialised forces have slowed battlefield progress, with advances in some areas measured at just 10 to 50 metres per day.

Sources: The Daily Express, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Reuters, Institute for the Study of War, Center for Strategic and International Studies

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation