In an attempt to bolster its ongoing military operations in Ukraine, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has decided to provide a financial reprieve to the country’s troops. A new law, recently passed and signed by Putin himself, allows enrolled soldiers tackling Ukraine’s conflict to erase their monetary liabilities. Discussing figures, this ruling permits a debt relief up to 10 million rubles (approx. $96,000) for every individual who enlists on a year-long contract. This pertains only to debts under active legal recovery as of December 1, 2024, and is further extended to the soldier’s spouse.
It’s quite clear the desperate lengths Russia is going to entice more recruits within its armed forces, including dangling salaries that far outstrip the nation’s average income. Deftly dodging any mobilization orders, the Kremlin retains the quantity of its military personnel within the war-torn region. A notable instance is the ‘partial mobilization’ of September 2022, creating upheaval as it prompted countless Russian men to leave the nation in an effort to evade mandatory military service.
The military recruitment drive corresponded with the deployment of a fresh intermediate-range ballistic missile aimed at Ukraine, critically stretching Russia’s already strained resources. Putin’s pronouncement in September, advocating a surge in troop numbers by 180,000, only lays bare the mounting predicaments facing Russia’s historically combative nation. Inevitably, Putin’s policies have raised eyebrows across the globe, and his decisions can’t easily be brushed under the carpet.
It was reported that North Korea had dispatched more than 10,000 troops to Russia in October – the very soldiers who are now said to be stationed on the front lines. This action, combined with the constant tensions within Ukraine’s threaded military, raises serious concerns about the escalating situation. However, despite these pressures, Russian representatives, including Putin, seem to remain eerily unperturbed.
Continuing with its aggressive posturing, Russia launched yet another fresh intermediate-range ballistic missile aimed at Ukraine. Seemingly unapologetic, Putin explained this action as a response to Ukraine’s utilization of British and American missiles, which he claimed were capable of deeply puncturing Russia. The missile strike threw up debris within the central city of Dnipro, Ukraine, as pointed out by the country’s Security Service.
The remains of a novel experimental ballistic missile, nicknamed ‘Oreshnik’, were recovered from a factory site within Dnipro. This missile, purportedly based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile, resulted in a slew of charred wires and a large, ashy airframe. This incident is a stark reminder of the escalating stakes in this conflict and how far Russia will go in its actions.
The missile fragments retrieved from the site are yet to undergo an official analysis, as confirmed by an undisclosed security official on ground zero. Apparently, this is the first instance of such a missile crashing within Ukraine’s borders. Offering technical details, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate confirmed the missile, equipped with six warheads each carrying six submunitions, was fired from Russia’s Astrakhan region. It flew for 15 minutes, maxing out at a chilling speed of 11 Mach, before striking Dnipro.
While the energy within the incoming Trump administration seems to be channeling a spirit of deescalation, its proposed tactics do nothing to reaffirm this intent. The President-elect’s future national security adviser, Mike Waltz, vaguely suggested that the new administration wanted to ‘get both sides to table’. Such an approach could be seen as dangerously naïve considering the overt aggression displayed by Russia and the mockery it continues to make of international law.
Gullible attempts at presenting a unified front aren’t aiding matters either. Waltz’s chats with Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, while looking to build a worthwhile transition, leaves us wondering, to what end? Jon Sullivan, known cheerleader of appeasement policies, is simply not the right person to be advising a new administration on such a critical national security issue. ‘We are hand in glove. We are one team with the United States in this transition,’ Waltz crowed, yet in reality, the gap between the Trump and Biden administrations couldn’t be wider.
Demonstrating further evidence of misguided leadership, Waltz conveyed support for Biden’s decision to distribute antipersonnel mines to the Ukrainian forces. Labeling it a step towards ‘solidifying the lines’, and necessary to halt Russia’s advances, merely shows the lack of understanding of the complexity of the conflict. There is little wisdom in fueling a conflict with weapons that have the power to both protect and harm innocent lives. The idea that such tools of war could bring about peace is ludicrous.
It’s a troubling sight when Trump, a man with a history of endorsing Putin’s stances, refrains from laying down fresh conditions to end the conflict. While Trump admirably acknowledges the urgency in halting the conflict, his seeming willingness to relinquish large chunks of Ukraine raises questions about his leadership and undermines the future of diplomacy. Sadly, Waltz did little to alleviate these concerns, avoiding any discussion about Trump’s potential terms upon taking office.
With the current pace of escalation reaching alarming levels, it’s discouraging to see cavalier statements made by Waltz echoing the president-elect, stating the need to ‘bring this to a responsible end’. While peace is indeed the ultimate aim, the outgoing and incoming administrations seem to differ substantially in how to achieve it. If this ‘escalation ladder’ Waltz speaks of is to be overcome, then a collective, focused and honest effort is needed – not just empty words and passive action.
On a separate note, the overnight flight of 73 Russian drones into Ukraine presents another pressing situation. Ukrainian forces claim to have destroyed 50 drones but lost 4, likely as a result of electronic interference. This further cements the alarming escalation Russia continues to bring upon Ukraine.
Simultaneously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Russian forces have unleashed over 800 guided aerial bombs, roughly 460 attack drones, and more than 20 missiles within just a single week. And in a tit-for-tat exchange, Russia’s Defense Ministry countered by stating that 34 Ukrainian drones were downed over four regions. As these figures lead us to ponder the magnitude of the conflict, it also calls out for a reassessment of our roles in this world theater. The outgoing and incoming administrations must reconcile their differences and present a united and formidable front to ensure a peaceful resolution.