How many people have been enlisted in Russian army in occupied territories of Ukraine?

Speaking on Espreso TV, he explained, "Right now, Russia isn't conducting mobilization in these areas, but conscription and recruitment are ongoing. They've launched a major recruitment push, but people in the occupied areas are mostly refusing to join. The situation is different in areas occupied since 2014, where people are more likely to join the Russian army due to poverty."

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According to Petro Andriushchenko, people in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) are not joining the Russian army voluntarily; it’s all being done through force and threats.

“There’s a group of marginalized people in the TOT, and this recruitment mostly targets young people. But if you look at the numbers, only about 10 to 15 people from each community in the occupied areas have been mobilized and signed contracts with the Russian army. In Mariupol, for example, there are only around 30 such people. So, Russia’s recruitment effort in the TOT is failing. Now they’re using threats to force more people into service. They’re literally taking young people to military offices by force and pressuring them to sign contracts. People aren’t going there willingly,” he said.

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