Zelensky Says Russia Will Draft 300,000 Troops After Sept. 18-20 Elections
Updated
Updated · The Moscow Times · Aug 23
Zelensky Says Russia Will Draft 300,000 Troops After Sept. 18-20 Elections
3 articles · Updated · The Moscow Times · Aug 23
Summary
300,000 additional troops could be drafted by Russia after its Sept. 18-20 parliamentary elections, Zelensky said, adding Moscow may seek 500,000 in total through 2027 via a “peripheral mobilization” outside major cities.
Donbas fighting is driving that need, he said, with Russian forces pushing toward Kostiantynivka and the rest of eastern Ukraine’s fortress belt while suffering what Kyiv described as maximum losses.
264 Patriot interceptors are expected for Ukraine in 2026, down from 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023, as Zelensky said Russia is expanding ballistic-missile output toward 1,300 a year.
360 interceptors are needed for the coming winter, Zelensky said, though Ukraine has secured at least one French SAMP/T system this year and about 600 German PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors through 2028.
$27 billion is still missing from Ukraine’s 2026 defense budget, with Zelensky saying at least $8 billion is needed for a normal start to 2027 and roughly $20 billion more for salaries and family payments.