Ahmad 
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that about 700,000 Russian soldiers are currently participating in military operations inside Ukraine, indicating an increase in numbers compared to 617,000 last year.
The Russian government rarely publishes details about its casualties in the conflict, but the last official announcement in September 2022 declared 5,937 Russian soldiers killed.
In a related context, Putin put forward several conditions for ending the conflict, which included Ukraine abandoning its ambitions to join NATO and giving up four disputed areas. These conditions were met with immediate rejection by Kiev and Washington supported it in its position.
On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky faces challenges regarding recruitment and morale within the Ukrainian forces, which prompted the government to lower the minimum age for conscription and tighten penalties for evading military service.
Putin affirms Russia’s readiness to cooperate with Africa in the healthcare sector and warns of the “danger of epidemics”