Russia’s human war machine


Russian troops boarding a military aircraft in Grozny, Russia. — ©2025 The New York Times Company

RUSSIA’s war in Ukraine has become a grim exercise in endurance, grinding through waves of manpower as the Kremlin desperately seeks ways to maintain pressure on Ukrainian forces.

What began with professional soldiers has now expanded into a sprawling recruitment network targeting convicts, debtors and even suspects awaiting trial.

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