Russia is likely to mobiliz around 300000 troops later this year against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia could mobilize another 300,000 troops later this year as Moscow continues its war in Ukraine.
Zelensky said Russia may take this step after parliamentary elections next month. He believes the new troops could be sent to eastern Ukraine as Russia tries to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held parts of the Donetsk region.
In remarks released Sunday, Zelensky also said Russia could finish the year controlling roughly the same amount of Ukrainian territory it held at the start of 2026, despite suffering very heavy losses.
According to Zelensky, Russia has lost about 267,000 personnel since the beginning of this year. He claimed around 155,000 have been killed. These numbers cannot be independently confirmed, although they are broadly in line with some estimates from Western officials.
Russia Could Mobilize After Elections
Russia previously ordered a major military mobilization in 2022. That decision led to protests and caused many young Russian men to leave the country.
Zelensky said he expects another mobilization after the upcoming parliamentary elections. He believes Russia would avoid carrying out the move openly in major cities.
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin could decide where to send the 300,000 new troops based on the military situation in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky also claimed Putin has instructed his generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by the end of the year. However, Zelensky said Russia would struggle to achieve this goal.
Ukrainian forces currently defend about 20% of the Donetsk region. This area includes important industrial towns such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Zelensky also warned that Russia could try to launch attacks or incursions into the northern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy. He said Russian military equipment has been seen near the border, although he said there are not yet Russian troops in the Bryansk region.
Ukraine Needs More Air Defense
Zelensky also spoke about Ukraine’s shortage of air defense missiles.
He compared the 675 Patriot missiles supplied to Ukraine in 2023 with an expected 264 missiles this year. He said the decline is worrying because Russia has increased ballistic missile attacks against Ukraine.
According to Zelensky, Patriot systems are currently the only effective way for Ukraine to intercept these ballistic missiles. Russian attacks have caused civilian deaths and damaged important infrastructure across the country.
Zelensky said the situation depends heavily on the United States.
US President Donald Trump previously suggested that Ukraine could eventually manufacture Patriot missiles under license. However, he later stepped back from that proposal.
Zelensky said Ukraine would be willing to pay for Patriot missiles if the United States supplied up to 10% of its stock. He argued that such an agreement could save many lives and also have an important diplomatic impact.
Ukraine is facing similar difficulties with Europe’s Aster air defense missiles. French President Emmanuel Macron recently promised support, but Zelensky said there are not enough Aster missiles available even though production is continuing. He added that a licensing agreement could help speed up deliveries.
Britain Supports Ukraine’s Missile Program
Ukraine is also trying to strengthen its long-range missile capabilities.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is scheduled to make his first official visit to Ukraine. Britain has agreed to allow defense company MBDA to share classified information about UK components with Ukraine.
The information could help Ukraine develop its own long-range SCALP missiles. SCALP is the French-produced version of Britain’s Storm Shadow missile.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is searching for Russian military locations from which ballistic missiles are launched.
Zelensky said Russia’s military industry may be capable of producing around 1,300 ballistic missiles each year. Ukraine has already developed long-range drones and its own cruise missiles and is using them against an increasing number of targets inside Russia.
Starlink and Possible Escalation
Zelensky also discussed Ukraine’s efforts to receive permission to use Starlink satellite imagery of Russian territory.
According to Zelensky, Starlink owner Elon Musk expressed concern that allowing Ukraine to use such imagery could lead to a major escalation against Russia.
Zelensky said Musk told him that he supported ending the war rather than prolonging it. Discussions with Washington about the issue are continuing.
Zelensky Sees a Limited Window for Peace
On possible peace negotiations, Zelensky said the opportunity to end the war could remain open until the end of next summer, when the US presidential election campaign is expected to begin.
He said US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have found it difficult to develop a peace agreement that Russia would accept without forcing Ukraine to give up the Donbas or accept other conditions that Kyiv considers unacceptable.
Zelensky said he, Witkoff and Kushner had agreed to summarize the discussions on a single page. The document would present realistic options for ending the war and could be discussed with both Ukraine and Russia.
For now, however, the war continues, with Russia preparing for possible further mobilization and Ukraine seeking more weapons, air defenses and international support.
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