Russia launches new drone strikes

Ukraine's military chief expressed frustration with the current work of military conscription offices on Tuesday, suggesting in comments that they should mobilize more troops to fight Russia.

According to Reuters, he held his first press conference on Tuesday since the start of the war, the day after the Ukrainian parliament passed legislation to overhaul the military conscription program in February 2022, specifically to lower the age. Mobilizable citizens up to 25 years instead of 27 years.

The publication of the speech caused controversy on social networks, which apparently pushed the chief of staff, who rarely appears in public, to speak to journalists in Kyiv. “I am not satisfied with my current job” Before joining the military conscription offices, he said: “Otherwise we would not be discussing this bill here. »

Answering several questions about the conflict, Zalushny also acknowledged that Ukrainian troops had retreated to the outskirts of the city of Maringa. “no more”According to him, after the bombing of the Russian army and fighting in the Tompas region.

Military conscription reform is a highly sensitive issue among Ukrainians, as the war has now dragged on for nearly two years, with no end in sight. President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that the military proposed mobilizing 450,000 to 500,000 personnel.

Mr Zaluzhny said on Tuesday that the number was not a proposal by the military and was a plan to be implemented gradually. Mr. He also said he would not have disclosed the figure publicly, a comment that fueled rumors of political tensions with Zelensky.

Tensions between the commander-in-chief and the president came to light in November, when Valery Zalushny reported that the war was headed for a stalemate due to the technical situation on the battlefield. This was followed by a reprimand from the President at Q.

“I received a lot of criticism for these comments, but in time people will understand that I was absolutely right.”The chief of staff said on Tuesday that Ukraine and its allies had identified answers to most of the issues raised last month.