Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with British broadcaster Sky News that Russian authorities are preparing a new covert mobilization, citing intelligence data. According to Zelensky, Vladimir Putin intends to intensify conscription after the State Duma elections on September 21.
Zelensky said the mobilization would be carried out unofficially — "not openly, because he is afraid of his own society." He believes the process will begin "in early October" unless Ukraine and its partners create problems for Russia with logistics, weapons supplies, fuel, and impose total sanctions. The Ukrainian president estimated the possible number of mobilized at 300,000–500,000 people.
Zelensky noted that it is "not that difficult" for Putin to recruit that many people, but it will raise "internal questions." "His society — and I have seen polls — is against mobilization. A significant percentage of the population is also against the war, but they still support Putin," he said. In his view, quickly training new recruits will not be possible, leading to heavy losses on the battlefield.
Earlier, as Zelensky recalled, he had already reported three times in recent days about preparations for a new mobilization, citing "detailed intelligence reports on Russia's plans for the fall." He also provided loss figures: over seven months of 2026, according to his information, 221,000 people entered the Russian armed forces, while losses over the same period totaled nearly 225,500, of which 131,000 were killed and about 93,000 wounded.
Independent outlets Verstka and iStories previously reported, citing sources working with the presidential administration, that a new mobilization is being discussed at all levels and could be announced in October 2026, but Putin has not yet made a final decision. One interlocutor overseeing recruitment at a state corporation said preparatory measures "for what will never be called a mobilization" have been underway for several months.