Putin backs plan to let severely disabled volunteers serve in Russian drone-defense units

Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed a proposal to permit volunteers with Category D medical fitness—including blindness, deafness, and schizophrenia—to join regional units tasked with defending against Ukrainian drone attacks. The initiative, raised by state broadcaster VGTRK war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny, signals a significant expansion of Russia's mobilization pool amid sustained Ukrainian drone strikes. The move reflects growing manpower constraints and a shift toward leveraging civilian volunteers for territorial defense, though operational effectiveness remains uncertain.