Putin calls up another 150,000 men for Russian Army conscription amid Ukraine invasion - the highest figure for eight years

Vladimir Putin has called up another 150,000 men for Russian army conscription, the highest figure for eight years.

This comes as Orthodox priests have been ordered to say prayers in church for the dictator's victory in the war.

The recruits are aged 18 to 30 and will be conscripted between 1 April and 15 July amid his war against Ukraine.

Russia has promised that those forcibly enlisted for one-year military service will not be sent to the conflict zone in Ukraine.

But previous such vows have been broken with some conscripts - and they could also face action in border regions under attack from Ukraine like Belgorod and Kursk.

Vladimir Putin has called up another 150,000 men for Russian army conscription

And conscripts often come under pressure to sign contracts as full-scale soldiers which mean they can be sent to the frontline.

Russia traditionally calls up conscripts in the spring and autumn, and this is the first recruitment drive since Putin raised the maximum age from 27 to 30.

Ukraine telegram channel Pravda Gerashchenko said: 'It was possible to achieve such a quantity of fresh 'cannon fodder' thanks to an amendment to raise the conscription age.

'Russians aged 18 to 30 will serve.'

The highest recent recruitment comes as Putin - whose signed order was revealed today - is expected to demand a military offensive in the coming months to take advantage of Ukraine's shortage of Western weapons.

Russian Orthodox priests have been sent a written order to pray for a Russian victory in a letter sent to clerics by Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensky.

The prayer criticises 'those who want to fight have taken up arms against Holy Rus' - when it was Russia that triggered the ongoing 2022 war against Ukraine.

The prayer asks God to 'help Your people and grant us victory through Your power'.

Priests who fail to say the prayer can face being defrocked.

The church order from Patriarch Kirill was revealed by journalist and religious scholar Ksenia Luchenko, who said: 'For the first time we see an official document that regulates internal church support for war.'

More to follow.