Zelensky Warns Russia Could Mobilize 300,000 Troops as Soon as Next Month – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia intends to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops in the coming weeks.
Zelensky’s remarks, made on the eve of Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day, come as Russia continues to focus its efforts in the country’s east.
Zelensky Speaking in UK Ukraine Government Photo
President Donald J. Trump and President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. White House Photo.
The Ukrainian President said he believed Vladimir Putin would issue the mobilization order following Russia’s legislative elections next month, which Putin’s United Russia is expected to win. United Russia currently holds more than two-thirds of all seats in the State Duma, and polls indicate the party is likely to retain its majority in the 450-seat parliament.
“We are confident that following the elections, they will carry out a mobilization,” Zelensky said on Sunday, 23rd August. “We believe this will not take place in the major cities.”
Putin’s Mobilization Dilemma in the Ukraine War
The Russian President has long resisted the prospect of mass mobilization following protests and a mass exodus over a 2022 draft in the early months of his country’s invasion.
Following surprise Ukrainian counterattacks in Kherson and Kharkiv, Putin announced a partial mobilization in September of that year totaling 300,000 recruits to defend four recently annexed regions of Ukraine. Thousands were arrested in subsequent protests across the country, with Putin announcing the completion of mobilization at the end of the following month – although “covert” mobilizations have reportedly continued over the course of the war.
Government officials continue to deny plans for mobilization, with Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya claiming last Thursday that mass mobilization is not “planned or expected” but stopping short of a full denial.
However, both Ukrainian and Western estimates point to widespread losses during the war, with Russia losing “267,000 personnel since the start of the year, including around 155,000 killed to date,” according to the Ukrainian President. And as his recruiters desperately seek men to join the battlefield, Putin may be left with little other choice.
Destination Donetsk
Such a volume of losses has impacted Putin’s reported objective of seizing the entirety of the Donetsk and Luhansk – two Ukrainian oblasts Russia recognizes as independent nations – by the end of 2026. Zelensky’s assessment that any mobilized troops would be sent to the Donbas aligns with where the majority of Russia’s losses are currently occurring.
“About 70–80% of Russia’s total losses are occurring in this area, around Kostiantynivka,” Zelensky said. “They are suffering their heaviest losses there, and the most intense fighting is taking place in that area. They are putting the greatest pressure there. [Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo] Drapatyi knows this and has ordered Ukrainian forces to strengthen the Sloviansk and Kramatorsk fronts. All 300,000 of these newly mobilized Russian troops will be sent there and lost. We will destroy them. Putin will lose all of them because most of these troops will be sent to this area.”
Air Defenses Remain Key
Zelensky also spoke on Sunday about his country’s need for air defenses as another brutal Ukrainian winter approaches. The Ukrainian President has his eyes on American-produced Patriot missiles, which are key to limiting Russia’s aerial assault on key infrastructure.
Patriot supply has dropped considerably since 2023, with Ukraine expected to receive 264 Patriot missiles compared to 675 three years prior.
“As you can see, there is, unfortunately, a downward trend, and this depends primarily on the American side,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian President has sought licensing agreements with the U.S. and France, which produce Aster missiles, to accelerate supplies, but no agreement has been reached so far.
Struggles with Starlink
In addition to air defenses, Zelensky is seeking permission from Elon Musk to use Starlink satellite imagery of Russian territory.
Musk has been a supporter of Ukraine for much of the conflict, but has stopped short of supplying Starlink imagery over fears of an escalation with Russia.
It’s a position which has stirred public conflict between Musk and Ukrainian officials since 2022; however, Zelensky suggested that the business magnate is considering his long-held stance in a conversation with reporters on Saturday, 22nd August.
“So far, he [Musk] has said that this constitutes an escalation,” Zelensky said. “However, he may change his mind once he sees further arguments.”
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
