According to a senior US defense official, Moscow may seek to enlist the help of up to 60,000 soldiers.

The Pentagon has seen “indications” that Russia is preparing to enter a “mobilization phase” as it re-equips troops in Russia and Belarus, according to the official.

Last week, Moscow announced that it will withdraw soldiers from areas surrounding Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and Chernihiv, in a gesture of good faith.

The US and NATO have cautioned that this is a ruse to allow Russia to restock its depleted forces and focus on a “major offensive” in the eastern Donbas region, rather than a withdrawal.

However, the senior US defence source added that there have been no “indications that there are fresh reinforcements.”

According to the official, there is no convincing proof that the men who could be recruited to replenish Russian troops will be “completely trained, fully armed,” or even “fully ready” to start the conflict.

It’s unclear how many Russian soldiers have died since the battle began more than six weeks ago, but Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sky News on Thursday that Moscow has suffered “major losses of [its] troops.”

Peskov did not give a figure for the number of Russians killed, although the Kremlin estimated it to be around 1,350 in late March.

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