Desperate Vladimir Putin is sending armed thugs to drag Russian men off the street and force them into his bloody war in Ukraine, experts have claimed. Kremlin bosses have turned to violence as Russian casualty rates skyrocket, with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 troops dying every month.
Rising Casualties and Forced Recruitment
Russian forces suffered a staggering 42,860 casualties in July alone, according to the Ukrainian General Staff. Reluctant civilians are now reportedly being scooped up, beaten, and framed in a desperate bid to fill the ranks.
Watchdogs report that police officers are working alongside recruitment agents to trap military-aged men, beating them until they sign enlistment papers.
Witness Accounts and Legal Threats
Artyom Klyga, a lawyer for the victims, told The Wall Street Journal: "Authorities have switched to a method of violence, when they catch men and send them off."
Grigory Sverdlin, founder of anti-war group Get Lost, added: "Just as many people have to somehow be brought into service, and the fewer there are who are ready to sign a contract, the more pressure they have to use."
Witness Vladislav Leonidov recalled seeing a missing acquaintance trapped at a police station in Penza, southwest Russia. He said recruiter thugs beat the man before attempting to whisk him away to a military office. Leonidov managed to step in during a medical exam. He said: "If we had come two hours later, he would have already been taken away. They move very quickly."
Threats and Bounties
Cops are even claimed to have resorted to threatening locals with fake drug charges if they refuse to put pen to paper. Meanwhile, bizarre bounty posters scattered across residential blocks offer $1,300 to anyone who brings a friend to a registration centre.
Locals in Penza have revolted over the forced enlistments. In one viral clip, an angry woman was filmed screaming: "They beat you, they forced you." Despite the violence, the ruthless campaign is failing to deliver a massive boost in front-line troops.
Potential Rebellion and Financial Crisis
Kremlin officials have threatened "legal consequences" against anyone spreading "false information," while US officials warn a full-scale forced mobilisation could be next. The desperate snatch squads could spark a bloody rebellion inside Russia. Dmitry Rogin, a reserve officer, said: "As soon as I'm given a weapon, I will shoot those who mobilised me."
The brutal tactics come as Russia plunges into a deep financial crisis. Ukrainian drone strikes on oil hubs have wiped out up to 40 per cent of production capacity, sparking the country's worst energy crisis since the Soviet Union collapsed.
