Diplomacy and Deployment: Russia's Dual Approach in Ukraine Conflict
- Iruni Kalupahana
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Iruni Kalupahana, JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war
Russia initiated a large scale conscription campaign, expecting to enlist 160,000 men between the ages of 18 and 30 years into the armed forces of the nation. The April 1 to July 15 recruitment drive is greater than in previous years, reflecting President Vladimir Putin's policy to expand the Russian military. The number of the nation's military personnel is approximately 1.5 million, greater than 1 million three years ago.
The timing of this draft is at a critical juncture of the war in Ukraine. As much as Russian law prohibits conscripts from being deployed to frontline war zones without training, instances of coercion or deception into signing agreements that lead to frontline assignments have been reported. Conscripts have also been accidentally caught in the crossfire during Ukrainian raids into Russian borders, such as the raid in the Kursk region in August 2024.
On the ground, Russian forces are conducting continuous shelling in the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk and conducting air strikes against Ukrainian cities. These military operations are ongoing while there are ongoing diplomatic efforts, like negotiations with America. The tension remains high as both military operations and diplomatic negotiations are ongoing.
At the same time, Russia's leading negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, will journey to Washington, D.C., to meet with ex-Trump administration official Steve Witkoff. The session represents a large step in the emergent relationship between Russia and the U.S., particularly following President Donald Trump's return to office. The discussions will attempt to open doors for improving relations and bringing an end to the war in Ukraine.
President Putin, however, has only made a ceasefire in the Black Sea conditional on the lifting of U.S. sanctions, even after President Trump requested an immediate ceasefire. This stance indicates that notwithstanding diplomatic contact, there are grave obstacles to the attainment of a peaceful conclusion to the present hostilities.
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