Russian conscripts not being sent to Ukraine, military says as businesses urged to help war efforts

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told military officials on Tuesday that the government is not sending conscripts to fight in Ukraine.

His comments came after Russia prosecuted a dozen army officers in June after news broke that hundreds of conscripts had seen action in Ukraine.

Russia conscripts around 400,000 young men annually for compulsory military service, but President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said draftees would not be deployed to Ukraine.

Separately, the Russian government is taking steps to urge businesses to supply the Russian war effort.

The Russian parliament passed two bills in an initial vote on Tuesday, July 5. The two bills still need to undergo second and third readings, be reviewed by the upper house of parliament and then signed by Putin.

If approved, the second bill would allow the government to compel employees at businesses supplying the war effort to work nights, holidays and weekends, and without annual leave.

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