Dutch F-16 jets to arrive at Romanian training centres in weeks; Moldova blocks Russian news agencies – as it happened
Dutch PM says F-16 jets for Ukraine to arrive in two weeks; Moldova accuses Russia of information war against country. This blog is closed
In its latest intelligence update, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said a Russian state-backed private military company (PMC) is specifically attempting to recruit women into combat roles in Ukraine for the first time.
Posting to X, formerly Twitter, the MoD wrote:
Recent social media adverts have appealed for female recruits to join Borz Battalion, a part of Russian PMC Redut, to work as snipers and uncrewed aerial vehicle operators. Redut is likely directly sponsored by the Russian main directorate of intelligence.
In March 2023, Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said that 1,100 women were deployed in Ukraine, which would equate to only around 0.3 per cent of its force. As Redut's advert points out, they currently serve in mostly medical support and food service roles.
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