Ukrainian separatist leader plans to draft 100,000 men

Pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko has announced a full mobilization in the breakaway People’s Republic of Donetsk (DNR), set to begin in 10 days. Zakharchenko plans to draft as many as 100,000 men into the rebel armed forces. 

A full mobilization is planned in the DNR in 10 days’ time. We’ll be calling up as many as 100,000 men.

The latest round of troop mobilization in Ukraine has been underway since January 20. Before the year’s end, Kiev plans another two rounds of conscription. Ukraine will mobilize 200,000 men over the course of 2015, and another 40,000 men will be drafted for active service.

Since early January, following a short-lived ceasefire, Ukraine has witnessed resumed hostilities in the Donbass. Ukrainian troops and rebel forces both report dozens of daily attacks.

Outside Donetsk, separatists have tried to surround Ukrainian troops (reportedly numbering 8,000-10,000 men), who currently occupy positions in and around the city of Debaltseve, located about halfway between Donetsk and Lugansk. Zakharchenko has said the Ukrainian troops are caught “in a cauldron,” though this information remains unverified.