The 135,000 signs that Putin is getting desperate in Ukraine

Russia has launched its largest autumn call-up for nearly a decade after its summer offensive faltered, writes Roland Oliphant, Chief Foreign Analyst

It is the time of year when the evenings draw in, the leaves turn brown and Russian teenagers without the connections or money to procure a doctor’s note pack their bags for the army.

Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the conscription of 135,000 men aged between 18 and 30 by the end of 2025, the largest autumn call-up for nearly a decade.

Officially, Russia’s regular spring and autumn call-ups for the 12-month draft do not have anything to do with the war in Ukraine – Russian law and the Kremlin’s fear of mothers’ ire keep draftees safely on base inside the country during their national service, while the invasion is prosecuted by contract soldiers.

But the numbers still talk. Putin wants to increase the size of his military to 2.4 million, including 1.5 million active servicemen – a rise of 180,000 personnel by 2028. 

Read more about Putin's aggressive call-up here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10/03/the-135000-signs-putin-is-getting-desperate-in-ukraine/