Putin's Large Conscription Drive /Lt Col Daniel Davis & Steve Jermy

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Daniel Davis Deep Dive Merch: Etsy store https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielDavisDeepDive?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Putin has ordered Russia’s largest fall conscription in nine years—135,000 troops—on top of 160,000 earlier this year. Moscow aims to expand its active force to 1.5 million men by late 2024 or early 2025, up from about 900,000 at the war’s start. Despite heavy losses, Russia has replenished and modernized its forces, making victory for Ukraine unlikely given the imbalance. Meanwhile, some U.S. leaders downplay Russia’s buildup, but there may be quiet backchannel discussions between Washington and Moscow. The U.S. appears to be “zigzagging” toward disengagement—still supplying arms but shifting the burden onto Europe, framing the conflict as Europe’s responsibility. European leaders, instead of discussing peace, talk about fortifying borders with walls and drone defenses, effectively preparing for a new division between East and West. NATO calls Ukraine Europe’s “first line of defense,” but U.S. support is limited to weapons sales rather than direct engagement. This leaves Ukraine squeezed—facing a massive Russian army on one side and a defensive wall from its European backers on the other, with little realistic prospect of breaking the stalemate. Russia signals it seeks security, not conquest of Europe, though mistrust remains.