Russian military recruitment offices targeted in a series of mysterious arson attacks as Ukraine invasion falters

• 3 Russian military recruitment centers were attacked over the weekend, The Moscow Times reported.
• The attacks come after a series of mysterious fires at fuel depots and other sites across Russia.

Unknown assailants hit Russian military recruitment offices in a series of arson attacks, The Moscow Times reported.

Citing local media reports, the outlet reported that early Friday a man dressed in black hurled a Molotov cocktail at a recruitment center in Gukovo in southern Russia's Rostov region, which is close to the Ukrainian border.

The Times reported that a similar attack had been reported Saturday in the Ryazan region southeast of Moscow, where a window was smashed and entrance damaged by fire at a recruitment center in Pronsk.

In Volgograd, southern Russia, a fire was reported in the basement of a recruitment center, and a smashed glass bottle found on the scene, indicative of an arson attack using a Molotov cocktail.

The incidents follow a series of explosions and fires at strategic centers across Russia, including fuel depots and military sites.

Military analysts have suggested that they may be part of a Ukrainian sabotage campaign, though they did not present evidence that could prove it.

RFERL reported that around 10 recruitment centers in Russia have been attacked since Russia launched its invasion on February 24, in a possible sign of growing opposition to the war in Russia.

The Russian military has suffered heavy losses in its campaign in Ukraine so far, with some analysts placing the number of fatalities at around 15,000.

Reports say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering officially declaring war with Ukraine, a measure that could enable him to mobilise the Russian population and boost the number of troops on the front line.