Ukraine is preparing to draft an additional 160,000 troops to reinforce its military as Russia continues to make advances in the eastern Donetsk region. On Tuesday, Russian forces announced they had fully captured the strategic mining town of Selydove and were advancing toward the transport hub of Pokrovsk.
The new recruitment drive, confirmed by Oleksandr Lytvynenko, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council, will span three months. This move comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure from Russia’s greater manpower and resources, exacerbated by reports of North Korean troops being deployed to assist Russia. According to the Pentagon, approximately 10,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia for training, with a few thousand stationed in the Kursk region and more expected to arrive.
South Korea claims these troops are being trained in various locations, some reportedly wearing Russian uniforms to blend in. Last week, President Vladimir Putin avoided denying the presence of North Korean forces amid ongoing reports that North Korea plans to send more troops to support its ally.
In response to the escalating situation, Ukraine’s parliament passed a law in April requiring men aged 25 to 60 to register in an electronic database for potential conscription. Recruitment officers are actively tracking those who evade registration as Ukraine seeks to bolster its defenses in the face of Russian gains in Donetsk.