Russia’s war strain prompts elite pleas for peace and forced mobilizations

Russian politicians, including State Duma deputy Renat Suleymanov, warned that the war’s cost is overwhelming the economy. Forty percent of the federal budget now funds defence, driving inflation and cutting civilian spending. Officials say continued losses – over 1.4 million killed or wounded – threaten Russia’s ability to replenish troops, and the country struggles to reintegrate returning soldiers.

At the same time, authorities have begun forced mobilisations. Video from the Volgograd region shows men seized on the streets, placed on minibuses, and taken to military enlistment offices despite families’ protests. Recruitment has fallen to about 800 new soldiers a day, far below pre‑war levels, while Ukrainian forces inflict roughly 1,200 Russian casualties daily. The Kremlin’s push for compulsory conscription reflects a desperate attempt to maintain a numerical edge as Ukraine’s drone‑producing advantage grows.