Putin May Mobilize 300,000-500,000 Russians After Sept. 20 Vote, Ukraine Says
Updated
Updated · Forces News · Aug 20
Putin May Mobilize 300,000-500,000 Russians After Sept. 20 Vote, Ukraine Says
1 articles · Updated · Forces News · Aug 20
Summary
Ukrainian intelligence says Russia could launch a new call-up in early October, after the 20 September State Duma election, potentially drafting 300,000 to 500,000 people.
About 31,000 monthly casualties and slowing recruitment are driving the warning: Russia is signing roughly 900 volunteers a day in 2026, down from about 1,200 in 2025.
Russian social media videos show men reporting call-up papers and pressure to sign contracts, while Moscow is offering nearly $90,000 for a year's service plus debt relief and housing incentives.
The Kremlin has denied any plan, but officials also denied the September 2022 mobilisation before it went ahead, triggering a mass exodus that sent hundreds of thousands abroad.
A fresh mobilisation could help Russia rotate units and sustain pressure on Ukraine, but it would risk political backlash and deepen labor shortages at home.