Russia likely to mobilize at least 300,000 more troops to Ukraine war, Zelensky warns

Russia Likely to Mobilize at Least 300,000 Troops

Earthguardiansonline.com – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Sunday that Russia is likely to mobilize at least 300,000 additional soldiers later this year, aiming to finish seizing a long-sought slice of eastern Ukraine. In sweeping remarks released over the weekend, Zelensky projected that Moscow would end the calendar year holding roughly the same share of Ukrainian land it possessed at the start of the year, even after absorbing staggering manpower losses. “Russia has lost 267,000 personnel since the start of the year, including around 155,000 killed to date,” he stated.

What Zelensky Said About the Coming Mobilization

The casualty figures cannot be independently verified but align with estimates circulating among Western defense officials. With Russian parliamentary elections scheduled for next month, speculation has grown about a fresh draft call, even though the 2022 mobilization sparked street protests and a mass exodus of young men. Zelensky expressed confidence that Moscow would act once the electoral calendar cleared: “We are confident that following the elections, they will carry out a mobilization. We believe this will not take place in the major cities.”

“They’ll lose all 300,000 of these newly mobilized Russians there; we’ll wipe them out,” Zelensky asserted, adding that he had instructed his generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by year’s end.

Ukrainian forces currently hold roughly 20 percent of Donetsk Oblast, including a corridor of strategic industrial towns such as Slaviansk and Kramatorsk. Zelensky dismissed the prospect of a full Russian takeover of the region and warned that Moscow might also probe into the northern oblasts of Kharkiv and Sumy. He noted that while no troops yet sit in Russia’s Bryansk region, military equipment is visible along the shared border.

On air defense, Zelensky contrasted the 675 Patriot missiles delivered in 2023 with a forecast of just 264 this year, calling the shortfall a “downward trend” that depends “primarily on the American side.” Ballistic-missile strikes have driven civilian casualties and infrastructure damage across Ukraine, and Patriots remain the principal means of intercepting them. Last month, US President Donald Trump floated letting Ukraine build Patriot missiles under license before retreating from the idea. Zelensky said Kyiv would pay if Washington supplied up to 10 percent of its Patriot stock, a commitment he argued “could make a huge difference, both in terms of saving lives and diplomatically as well.”

A similar bottleneck exists with Aster air-defense missiles from Europe, despite a recent pledge by French President Emmanuel Macron. “There aren’t enough ‘Aster’ missiles, even though they are being produced,” Zelensky acknowledged, though he added that a licensing arrangement would speed up deliveries. In the interim, Ukraine is hunting the launch sites inside Russia from which ballistic missiles originate; Zelensky estimated Russian industry can build roughly 1,300 ballistic missiles per year. He also described ongoing talks with Washington over permission to use Starlink satellite imagery of Russian territory, noting that Elon Musk, who owns Starlink, voiced concern it “could lead to a major escalation against the Russian Federation on Ukraine’s part.”

On diplomacy, Zelensky placed the window for ending the war through the end of next summer, before the US presidential campaign ramps up. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have struggled to find a format acceptable to Moscow without requiring Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas or accept other terms Zelensky calls unacceptable. “Jared, Steve and I agreed to summarize all these discussions on a single page – setting out the realistic options for ending the war,” he said. “This is what the Americans want to discuss with us and with the Russians.”

FAQ: Russia Mobilization and Ukraine’s Defense Outlook

How many troops does Zelensky expect Russia to mobilize?

Zelensky put the figure at at least 300,000 additional soldiers, to be deployed “depending on the situation in the east of our country,” primarily toward completing the capture of Donetsk Oblast.

When is the mobilization expected to occur?

Zelensky tied the timing to Russia’s parliamentary elections next month, saying he was “confident” a draft call would follow once the electoral period ended.

What is Ukraine’s current air-defense shortfall?

Patriot missile deliveries are projected to fall from 675 in 2023 to 264 this year. Zelensky said Ukraine would pay for up to 10 percent of US Patriot stocks if Washington committed to supplying them, and flagged a parallel shortage of European-made Aster missiles.

What is the stated window for peace negotiations?

Zelensky indicated the opportunity stretches through the end of next summer, before the US presidential election campaign begins. He and US envoys Witkoff and Kushner have agreed to distill their discussions onto a single page outlining “realistic options for ending the war.”