A video surfaced showing Russian police raiding a Moscow gym to boost conscription numbers.
The operation aimed to identify illegal immigrants and draft evaders. Police separated citizens into locals and foreigners. Locals were taken to military enlistment offices for service record verification. Some were released, while others received immediate draft notices. Foreigners faced immigration law violation charges and were given the choice between deportation or military service.
These raids have become more common across Russia following President Vladimir Putin’s order to conscript 160,000 individuals in the first half of this year, the most significant effort since 2011.
In a separate development, Putin declared a 30-hour Easter ceasefire from 6 PM on April 19 to midnight on April 21, Moscow time. However, both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violations, and the ceasefire ended without extension.
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