Russian President Vladimir Putin has unleashed the largest military draft in Russia’s history, calling up 160,000 young men as tensions with Ukraine spiral and fears of World War III loom. Announced Tuesday, this sweeping conscription—dwarfing efforts since 2011—signals Moscow’s intent to bolster its forces amid stalled peace talks, raising the specter of a broader global conflict.
The order targets men aged 18 to 30, with recruitment running from April to July 2025, as Russia seeks to fortify its military for an escalating war effort. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has mediated between Russia and Ukraine, vented frustration in an NBC News interview Sunday, slamming Putin for allegedly derailing peace negotiations. “I’m pissed off,” Trump said, underscoring the diplomatic gridlock that’s now fueling Putin’s unprecedented mobilization.
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DCNF reports: “If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump told NBC News.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also accused Putin of dragging out peace talks on Mar. 27, saying Russia was “not ready” for a ceasefire and urged Trump to put “strong pressure” on Russia.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump’s frustrations in a press conference Tuesday.
Ceasefire talks have so far only been incremental, with Putin most recently agreeing to a temporary ceasefire on commercial maritime vessels the Black Sea Mar. 25.
Putin’s order comes as at least 100,000 Russian soldiers have died in its war with Ukraine, however exact estimates vary widely. Russia’s last conscription of comparable scale called for 200,000 men in the spring of 2011.
The war has been characterized by brutal attrition for both Russian and Ukrainian armies, with front line advances grinding to a halt after Ukraine recaptured territory in the north near Kiev in the early stages of the war.
The Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.