Zelenskyy stated that Russia wants to mobilize between 300,000 and 500,000 people

The President of Ukraine wrote about this on his Telegram channel.

According to him, the Kremlin may announce it after the Russian State Duma elections, which are scheduled for September 21. This will likely happen as early as the beginning of October.

Zelenskyy noted that Russia could mobilize between 300,000 and 500,000 people. At the same time, Russian authorities are trying to postpone this decision due to fears of a negative public reaction.

The president also emphasized that the new mobilization will pose a serious challenge, but a significant portion of the recruits may be inadequately trained, leading to heavy casualties among the troops.

Meanwhile, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported additional signs that the Kremlin is preparing for a new draft. In particular, the Russian National Guard has updated its civil defense regulations, for the first time including provisions on actions during mobilization, martial law, and wartime.

The Center believes that these changes may indicate that security forces are preparing to potentially suppress mass protests following the announcement of a new wave of mobilization.

The Center also noted that Russian authorities have recently been systematically expanding the list of categories of citizens who may be conscripted into the war. In addition, there have been reports of the modernization of military training grounds and changes in legislation, which, according to experts, indicate preparations for the mobilization of more than 500,000 Russians.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, these plans could be thwarted by increased international sanctions pressure on Russia, as well as by strikes against its logistics, fuel reserves, and military infrastructure.

As a reminder, President Zelenskyy has signed laws extending martial law and general mobilization in Ukraine. They will remain in effect until at least October 31.