Vladimir Putin is telling the public not to worry about a new military draft. The Russian president says there are no plans to force more men to join the army to fight in Ukraine.

There has been a lot of talk lately that Russia might need more soldiers. This is because the war has been going on for a long time and the Russian military has lost many people. Because of these rumors, some Russian men are worried about being forced to sign up. Some are even making plans to leave the country just in case.

Putin dismissed these worries as "complete nonsense" during a recent event. Other Russian officials are echoing his words, saying there is no need for another wave of mobilization right now.

Mobilization is the government's way of calling up regular citizens to become soldiers during a war. The last time this happened in Russia was back in 2022, and it caused a lot of fear and confusion across the country.

Even though the Kremlin denies that a new draft is coming, many experts and international observers are skeptical. Some say that Russia is still quietly preparing to bring in more fighters because the war shows no signs of ending. Reports suggest the military is trying to sign up more volunteer soldiers by offering large amounts of cash and benefits, likely to avoid the unpopular move of a forced draft.

For now, the official word from the top is that your daily life is safe from a call-up. But with the war continuing, many people remain nervous about what could happen next.

Source: The New York Times