Russian MoD confirms conscripts are fighting in Ukraine
Russia’s Defense Ministry has confirmed that regular conscripts – as opposed to contracted, professional soldiers – are fighting as part of the invading Russian force in Ukraine, Russian media outlet RBC reported via Telegram instant messenger on March 9.
According to Igor Konashenkov, the Russian MoD spokesperson, “there are, unfortunately, several cases of conscripts being present” in some Russian regiments fighting in Ukraine.
Konashenkov also said that a number of Russian soldiers, including conscripts, have been captured by Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
“At the moment, exhaustive measures are being takes to prevent conscripts being deployed to combat zones and to free (our) captured service members,” Konashenkov said.
Prior to these statements, Russia repeatedly insisted that Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine – in reality a full-scale invasion of the country – was being carried out exclusively by professional soldiers.
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