Putin Prepares Hidden Mobilization of Up to Half a Million Russians
Ukrainian President Claims Kremlin Plans Mass Recruitment Without Official Declaration, Using 'Gray Contracts' and Border Closures, While Strengthening Moscow's Air Defense.
Ukrainian President Claims Kremlin Plans Mass Recruitment Without Official Declaration, Using 'Gray Contracts' and Border Closures, While Strengthening Moscow's Air Defense.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Friday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is preparing a hidden mobilization that could involve up to 500,000 people. According to him, the Kremlin plans to carry out mass recruitment without an official declaration of mobilization, relying on tactics such as "gray contracts" and restricting exit from the country.
In an interview with Ukrainian TSN, Zelensky stated that these recruitments would take place as early as this autumn. He believes that Putin needs these half a million people not only for the war against Ukraine but also for psychological pressure on Europe, threatening that these forces could be used on other fronts as well.
Zelensky elaborated on his claims in an interview for the telethon "United News," parts of which were published on his official channels. "He's thinking about mobilization. He's thinking about how to deceive his own people. How to carry out mass mobilization without actually declaring it. How to introduce some gray contracts, close the borders, and so on. We see it. We already see many such moves," Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that Putin is still looking for a way to sell a "victory" in the war to the Russian public. "He needs to sell a victory. He won't have a victory in Ukraine. He needs to take Donbas. We won't retreat on our own. So, what can he sell as a victory? He will twist those Anchorage conditions that were discussed with the American side, with the President of the United States," he said.
Meanwhile, Zelensky revealed that the Russians have concentrated three rings of air defense around Moscow. "To create such a strong defensive shield, they had to pull all their air defense systems from every corner of their vast territory. For Moscow, and to a lesser extent for St. Petersburg," he stated.
Despite the density of defense, Zelensky is confident that Ukraine will find a way to break through. "No matter how much air defense you have, it will eventually run out of ammunition, and we will still find technologies to respond in a way that they feel it," he said.
The president also spoke about a recent successful operation by Ukrainian forces, which involved the Armed Forces, Special Operations, Intelligence Service, Security Service, and Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. "After they started striking our logistics, we found another logistics operation and responded. Their losses there are staggering, one trillion rubles," Zelensky said.
In response to journalists' questions, Zelensky also touched on Ukraine's constant need for air defense systems. He noted that the United States is the primary producer and supplier, but deliveries in 2026 are insufficient. "In 2026, there are fewer of these missiles. Monthly deliveries were higher in 2025," he said.
He also appealed to European partners, specifically highlighting Germany and Poland, which have already helped, as well as the Nordic countries and the Netherlands, which are helping "little by little." Zelensky revealed that he is in dialogue with South Korea, Japan, and Israel about the potential purchase of air defense systems, but due to their domestic legislation, there are no concrete results yet.
The Ukrainian leader concluded that Russia will not stop, predicting "hundreds, thousands of cyberattacks, missile pressure, and intimidation" in the future. "They don't change. Putin still can't find victory in this war," Zelensky concluded.
