forced mobilization Russia

Kremlin officials fear new mobilization, seek ways to move relatives and assets

Fears are growing among Russians that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin could announce a new large-scale mobilization for the war against Ukraine after elections to Russia’s State Duma, with concerns also spreading among members of the Russian elite, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 18.

18 September, 12:04 PM

New Russian mobilization could fuel northern offensive, Ukrainian intel warns

Russia is considering a hypothetical offensive into Chernihiv and Kyiv oblasts, but Ukraine has not detected a buildup of Russian occupation forces in that sector, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Aug. 22.

23 August, 05:51 PM

Zelenskyy warns Russia may mobilize 300,000 after parliamentary ‘elections’

A new mobilization wave could begin in Russia after the State Duma “elections,” with the Kremlin expected to conduct it mainly in the regions. Russia’s plan for 2026 is to mobilize about 300,000 additional people.

23 August, 02:15 PM

Putin’s mobilization gamble could expand army while destabilizing his regime — NV analysis

Russia could mobilize as many as 500,000 people as early as this fall. But a larger army could create serious military, economic and political problems for the Kremlin.

19 August, 05:05 PM

Putin plans war through 2027 as Kremlin weighs covert mobilization tactics

Several Russian economists and members of the country’s political elite are urging Vladimir Putin not to announce another mobilization, warning that it could rupture the Kremlin’s tacit bargain with the public.

17 August, 02:34 PM

Russia posts 2,500 military-registration jobs as mobilization fears rise

Russian government agencies, state-owned companies and businesses have posted more than 2,000 openings for specialists with experience in military registration and mobilization, Russian outlet Agentstvo reported.

1 August, 10:58 PM

Kremlin tests forced street recruitment for war in Penza

Moscow is trying to replenish its ranks for the war against Ukraine while avoiding public protests and is testing a “quiet” approach: mass street roundups and forcing Russian men into military contracts, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service said on June 26.

26 June, 02:53 PM

Russian army recruitment plunges as Moscow struggles to fill Ukraine ranks

Russia is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit new contract soldiers and hold occupied Ukrainian territory. In Moscow, the number of people willing to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry and go to war against Ukraine fell by one-third in the spring. The same pattern is emerging in the regions.

25 June, 07:00 PM

Ukrainian soldier crashes Russian university’s closed war recruitment event

Russia’s education system appears to have settled on a new mission: training not only specialists, but also wartime reinforcements — preferably without too many questions from the students themselves.

24 April, 12:18 PM

Russia taps strategic reserves for Ukraine war, risking pressure on other borders

Russia is expanding its force in Ukraine by deploying troops from its strategic reserve, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on April 10, calling the move risky because it leaves Moscow more exposed along other borders.

10 April, 02:08 PM

Russia targets debtors and students as losses tear through its war ranks

As Russia struggles to find enough willing recruits for the war against Ukraine, authorities have begun compiling lists of “volunteers” drawn from debtors and students, Ukraine’s HUR military intelligence agency said on April 10.

10 April, 01:10 PM

Putin’s decree threatens foreigners with conscription

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry has issued a warning to its citizens in Russia regarding a new mobilization law that could compel foreigners to enlist in the Russian military, Point reported on Dec. 15.

16 December 2025, 12:43 PM

Over 25,000 Russian troops desert in nine months — Ukraine’s intelligence

More than 25,000 Russian soldiers and officers from the Central Military District have deserted their units between November 2024 and July 2025, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on Oct. 18.

19 October 2025, 03:22 PM

forced mobilization Russia