 Russia aims to mobilise 300,000 military by June. Russia plans to mobilise an additional 300,000 servicemen by June 1, says President Volodymyr Zelensky at a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart, Alexander Stubb. As British intelligence reports, Russia recruits about 30,000 new soldiers to its army each month. To continue the aggressive war against Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry has registered an influx of volunteers willing to sign up as contract soldiers this year, with many willing to join the fight against Ukraine after Russian officials suggested Kiev may have been behind the Krokas city hall terrorist attack. In a statement, the ministry said that more than 100,000 people had signed contracts since the start of 2024, with numbers increasing nationwide. Officials estimate that up to 1,700 volunteers register at recruitment centres each day, and that in the past 10 days, some 16,000 Russian citizens have signed contracts. During interviews conducted over the past week, most candidates said their main motive for concluding a contract was a desire to avenge those killed in the tragedy that occurred on March 22, 2024 in the Moscow region, the ministry added. In late December, Putin said that a total of 617,000 service members were present in the zone of the military operation against Ukraine. He noted at the time that out of this number, 244,000 had been mobilised in the autumn of 2022. At the time, Moscow had called up 300,000 people. The Russian President also said that 41,000 had been dismissed for various reasons since then. Putin added that Moscow does not plan to announce a second wave of mobilisation, as nearly 500,000 troops have current contracts with the Defence Ministry. Belarus concentrates army on border with Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. Lukashenko prepares for war. During his trip to Rogno Oblast, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko again spoke about the war. Don't believe anyone that we want to fight. We are preparing for war. I say this frankly. If you want peace, prepare for war. I'm not the one who invented it. This is very correct, Lukashenko said. According to him, the country is carrying out the necessary training of the relevant units and various types of weapons and equipment are supplied to the troops. It should be noted that the Belarusian military began military drills on April 2 near its borders with Poland and Lithuania to the west, and Ukraine to the south. The country's Defence Ministry said Belarus regularly holds military drills, including close to its borders with Ukraine and the EU. The exercises which the Defence Ministry said were intended to simulate defence scenarios in the case of martial law being implemented will be held in the western Rogno Oblast and the southern Hommel Oblast, north of the Ukrainian border. Belarus last conducted military exercises in mid-March 2024, holding what it called a comprehensive check of the army's combat readiness. Belarus is Moscow's close ally and has provided extensive support to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, namely allowing Russian troops to launch their unsuccessful offensive toward Kiev from its territory in 2022. Despite this, the Belarusian military has not directly participated in Russia's war. In response to the aggressive posturing from Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania agreed in January 2024 to build increased border defences. Poland also said in November 2023 that it would deploy a tank battalion by the Belarusian