Zelenskyy Warns of New Russian Mobilization in Autumn

Kyiv – 26 July 2026: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of preparing a new, large-scale mobilization for autumn 2026. Ukrainian intelligence services had clear information about corresponding plans, Zelenskyy said in an address on 24 July. The Kremlin continued to intend to expand the war and press ahead with its attacks against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy linked the warning to an assessment of the military situation. Russia is currently losing more soldiers at the front than it can recruit for its armed forces, he said. Moscow therefore intends to close this gap through additional recruitment. The Ukrainian leadership did not publish evidence regarding the scale, procedure or possible start of a mobilization.

The statement came after a Russian attack in which, according to Zelenskyy, ten people were killed. At the same time, the president said that Ukraine and its partners had indications that Russia was preparing missiles for another large-scale attack. His warnings therefore concern both the reinforcement of the Russian army’s personnel and possible new air strikes.

In September 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization. According to official figures, 300,000 reservists were called up at the time. Since then, the Russian army has relied primarily on fixed-term contracts, high bonuses and regional recruitment campaigns. Another nationwide mobilization would be politically risky for the Kremlin domestically: the call-ups in 2022 caused considerable unrest in Russia and prompted many people to leave the country.

The information from Kyiv cannot yet be independently verified. By Sunday, 26 July, there had been no public confirmation from Moscow of corresponding preparations. The Russian leadership continues to describe its war of aggression against Ukraine as a special military operation and provides only limited information about its own losses and recruitment targets.

On 25 July, Zelenskyy repeated his warning and again spoke of extensive intelligence about Russian plans for the autumn. According to a report by the Reuters news agency, he also said that Moscow wanted to enlist more North Korean soldiers for the war. This claim has likewise not been independently confirmed.

Zelenskyy linked his statements to an appeal to Ukraine’s international partners. They should increase economic and political pressure on Russia and further strengthen Ukraine’s defense and air defense. However, he did not provide specific details about the timetable or scale of the alleged mobilization.