Russia uses arrests and coercion to send more recruits to the front in Ukraine

Russian authorities are using coercion to send more recruits to the front in Ukraine. According to El Pais English, people are being paid to recruit others, with targets including those who live alone, have criminal records, or are sick or indebted. These individuals are being taken by force to recruitment centers.

The Kremlin is trying to avoid a mass mobilization, but is instead using covert measures to fill losses in its offensive in Ukraine. El Pais English reports that recruiter work has been well paid in recent months.

There have been no direct comments from the Kremlin on the coercion. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has made comments on a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying an invitation to Moscow had been extended, as per New Voice of Ukraine.

Brief written by urgent.news from El Pais English, New Voice of Ukraine — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.