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Russia to Recruit 67,000 Soldiers for Southern Military District in 2026, Including From Occupied Territories
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Russia is planning to recruit approximately 67,000 new contract servicemen in 2026 as part of efforts to reinforce units within its “Southern Military District.”
This was reported by RBK-Ukraine on January 13, citing a statement from Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn.
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According to the report, a significant portion of the planned recruitment is expected to come from Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories. Russia has reportedly set regional targets for enlistment contracts, including:
Over 3,500 individuals from the occupied territory of Crimea;
Approximately 750 from the city of Sevastopol;
Around 530 from occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia region;
Roughly 300 from occupied parts of Kherson region.
Additional recruitment efforts are also aimed at occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
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Voloshyn stated that these measures are part of Russia’s broader plan to replenish its forces following sustained losses and to legitimize its military presence on occupied Ukrainian soil.
He underscored that such actions violate international law, particularly the recruitment of civilians from territories under foreign military occupation.
Previously, it was reported that Ukrainian troops have regained control of the Kupiansk City Council building and raised the national flag over it, marking a symbolic and strategic milestone in the ongoing counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region.
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-1966fb7bef3fb9ca89a4128df05f0efb.jpg "Kazakhstan Deports Crimean Open AI Developer to Russia, Where He’s Charged With Treason")
