Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia could mobilise an additional 300,000 troops later this year as Moscow continues its military campaign in Ukraine.
Zelensky said he expects the move to take place after Russia’s parliamentary elections, amid growing speculation about a fresh mobilisation.
According to the Ukrainian president, Russia has suffered significant personnel losses since the beginning of the year but could still launch another large-scale recruitment effort.
“Russia has lost 267,000 personnel since the start of the year, including around 155,000 killed to date,” Zelensky claimed. He acknowledged that the figures could not be independently verified, although he said they were broadly consistent with estimates from Western officials.
Zelensky said he believed the newly mobilised troops could be deployed to eastern Ukraine as Russia seeks to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held parts of the Donetsk region.
“We are confident that following the elections, they will carry out a mobilisation. We believe this will not take place in the major cities,” he said.
Ukrainian forces currently control parts of Donetsk, including strategically important cities such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Zelensky dismissed the possibility of Russia fully capturing the region, while warning that Russian forces could also attempt incursions into the northern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy.
He also raised concerns about Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, particularly shortages of Patriot missile interceptors used to defend against Russian ballistic missile attacks.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine received 675 Patriot missiles in 2023 but expects to receive only about 264 this year. He called for greater support from the United States and Europe, stressing that Ukraine was prepared to purchase additional systems.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to develop and use long-range drones and domestically produced cruise missiles against targets inside Russia, while seeking greater access to intelligence and advanced defence technology.
Zelensky also said discussions were continuing with US officials over possible diplomatic options for ending the war.
He disclosed that he, along with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had agreed to summarise realistic options for ending the conflict in a single document for further discussions with Washington and Moscow.