Russia is losing 6,000 more troops in Ukraine each month than it can recruit, western officials say

Western officials warn Putin is burning through manpower faster than he can replace it, with casualties outpacing recruitment by 6,000 a month despite Russia enlisting an estimated 1,000 new soldiers daily. Further mass mobilisation is ruled out as politically toxic after a million Russians fled the last call-up in 2022, with fewer than half returning. Putin is instead targeting Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure with over 360 missiles since July, aiming to break morale this winter. Meanwhile, a British national identified as Michael Lee has been paraded on Russian state TV as a recruit fighting for Moscow in Ukraine.