Ukrainian intelligence agencies have reported on preparations for a new mobilization in Russia: they plan to recruit another 600,000 people

This was stated by the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Foreign Intelligence Service, according to the Ukrainian president’s website.

Ukrainian intelligence agencies note that Russia is preparing to mobilize, in particular, law enforcement officers and a broader range of prisoners serving sentences in prisons and camps. 

According to intelligence reports, Russia primarily aims to reinforce its groups and military units fighting against Ukraine, as well as Russian military units currently being formed.

Intelligence analysts emphasize that, as part of preparations for an additional wave of mobilization and the recruitment of criminal elements into the military, Russia has already begun amending legislation and subordinate regulations. The aggressor country is significantly tightening control over military registration and creating mechanisms for the additional recruitment of individuals serving sentences in prisons and camps. Additional coercive measures are also being developed. 

The categories of convicts to be enlisted for military service in the occupation force now include individuals with unexpunged criminal records under 11 articles of the Russian Criminal Code, including:

• smuggling of toxic, radioactive, and explosive substances, weapons, narcotics, etc.;
• banditry and the organization of or participation in a criminal group (gang);
• organizing illegal migration;
• violation of security requirements at fuel and energy complex facilities and the unlawful handling, theft, or extortion of nuclear materials or radioactive substances;
• other articles of the Criminal Code.

The Russian leadership has also approved the expansion of mobilization and/or conscription processes to include certain numerically significant categories of women serving sentences in prisons and camps. 

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and the Security Service of Ukraine note that quotas for the mobilization of law enforcement officers are currently being determined in Russia.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, plans for a new wave of mobilization are still being finalized. The Kremlin is likely to announce it after the elections on September 18–20.

As a reminder, the Kremlin dismissed reports of a new mobilization in Russia as “fake news.” Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian dictator, rejected reports of a new draft, calling them “fabrications by the Ukrainian authorities.”