Moscow is trying to recruit mercenaries in Central Asia to fight in Ukraine, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said on Ukrainian national television on Aug. 23, informs NV.
«Today (the Russians) are trying to involve representatives of other countries, Central Asian countries, in these things, but there are not many people willing to fight on the side of Russia,» Danilov said.
He said that the Russians have learned how to fight, but Ukrainian spirit will prevail nonetheless.
Danilov also underscored that Russia has not ceased its covert mobilization efforts.
Moscow has lost about 259,160 troops since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 340 of them in the last day, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said in its morning report on Aug. 24.