Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine can freeze their sperm in cryobanks for free: Report

Russian soldiers who have been mobilized for military operations in Ukraine will be able to have their sperm frozen for free in cryobanks, according to the state news agency TASS. The Health Ministry has reportedly agreed to provide financial support from the federal budget for the conservation and storage of germ cells (spermatozoa) for these soldiers during the period of 2022-2024. Families of these soldiers will also be able to access the stored biomaterial at no cost if their medical insurance allows it.

Russia has mobilized over 3,00,000 reservists for a military operation in Ukraine, causing a large number of Russian men to leave the country in order to avoid being drafted. This mobilization has also led to significant anti-government protests. The conflict in Ukraine, which Kyiv and its Western allies consider to be an unprovoked act of aggression by Russia, is entering its 11th month and has entered a stagnant phase due to the onset of winter.

Current state of the war

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, both Ukrainian and Russian officials have expressed a willingness to negotiate a peace agreement. However, it is unlikely that serious discussions will take place in the near future due to the fact that each side's demands are unacceptable to the other. There have been no substantive peace talks between the two countries since the start of the conflict, which began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion on February 24. Ukraine's foreign minister has proposed a peace summit by the end of February, but has stated that Ukraine will only negotiate with Russia if it faces a war crimes tribunal. On the other hand, Russia's foreign minister has stated that Ukraine must accept Russia's demands, including giving up control of four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims to have annexed in September, or face military action.

The spokesperson for the Kremlin, Dmitri S. Peskov, stated that any peace plan for Ukraine must take into account Russia's control over certain regions, including the four regions that have been annexed. According to the New York Times, Stella Ghervas, a professor of Russian history, believes that the current positions of both Ukraine and Russia suggest that they believe they have more to gain militarily, and that a peace negotiation may be far in the future. Ukraine has made some gains on the battlefield, retaking much of the land that was captured by Russia early in the conflict, but Russia still holds significant control in the east and south of the country. Russia has also been increasing its troop numbers and launching aerial attacks on infrastructure in Ukraine, causing further hardship for Ukrainians.