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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expects Russia to launch a new mobilization later this year as Moscow seeks to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held parts of Donetsk.
Mariyam Adheela
Illustration photo of the Russian military -- Photo from open sources
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Russia could mobilize another 300,000 troops after parliamentary elections next month, as Moscow seeks to complete its capture of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky claimed Russia has lost 267,000 personnel since the beginning of the year, including about 155,000 killed. The figures could not be independently verified but are broadly consistent with some Western assessments.
He said Russia was likely to conduct the mobilization outside major cities and deploy the new troops according to developments on the eastern front.
Zelensky said Russian President Vladimir Putin had instructed his generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by the end of the year.
Ukrainian forces still control about 20 percent of the region, including strategic cities such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Zelensky also warned that Russia could attempt incursions into the northern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, although he said Russian forces had not yet deployed troops in the neighbouring Bryansk region.
Zelensky also called for greater Western support for Ukraine’s air defences, saying the country is expected to receive fewer Patriot missiles this year than in 2023.
He said Ukraine also faces shortages of European Aster missiles and urged faster production and licensing arrangements to increase supplies.
Meanwhile, Britain has agreed to share classified information on UK-made components to support Ukraine’s development of long-range SCALP missiles.
Zelensky said Ukraine is also seeking access to Starlink satellite imagery of Russian territory, but Elon Musk has raised concerns that providing such imagery could escalate the conflict.
On peace talks, Zelensky said discussions with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner remained difficult, with Kyiv unwilling to withdraw from the Donbas or accept what it considers unacceptable terms.
