Russian pensioners are being killed on the front lines of Ukraine after signing up to collect generous financial rewards for joining their country’s invasion force.

More than 70,000 people fighting in Russia’s military have now died in Ukraine, according to data analysed by the BBC. And for the first time, volunteers - civilians who joined the armed forces after the start of the war - now make up the highest number of people killed on the battlefield since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

The BBC and Mediazona have documented around 70,000 Russian soldier deaths since the invasion of Ukraine began. This figure is based on public information, but the actual number could be higher. Mediazona and Meduza estimate the toll might be 120,

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was ramping up drone production by around ten times to nearly 1.4 million this year in a bid to ensure the Russian armed forces win in Ukraine. Since Russia sent tens of thousands of soldiers into Ukraine in February 2022,

In 2023, the Russian army received about 140,000 drones of different types, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. This year, Moscow is planning to produce 1.4 million, he claimed.

Russia plans to increase drone production amid the war with Ukraine. For this purpose, Russia wants to create almost fifty special centers, stated Vladimir Putin. He mentioned that last year, Russian soldiers received over 140,