Ukraine says Russia plans to mobilize 600,000 recruits by 2027

• Russia plans to mobilize 600,000 recruits in 2026-27, according to Ukraine's President's Office.
• The mobilization is planned in two phases: 300,000 this year and 300,000 next year.
• Ukraine attributes the decision to battlefield losses, decreased contract recruitment, and rising public dissatisfaction.
• President Zelensky previously indicated a plan for 300,000 mobilized troops after September elections.
• These troops are intended to reinforce existing offensives or open new fronts.

Ukraine's President's Office announced on August 27 that Russia intends to mobilize 600,000 recruits between 2026 and 2027. The office cited internal Russian documents suggesting this move is a response to battlefield losses, a slowdown in contract recruitment, and significant public dissatisfaction with the war, which reportedly reaches 69% in some regions.

According to the statement, Russia plans to mobilize 300,000 people this year and another 300,000 next year. This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin has largely avoided large-scale forced mobilization since the fall of 2022, opting instead for lucrative bonuses to encourage contract recruitment.

President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously stated that Russia planned to mobilize approximately 300,000 people after the State Duma elections in September. He suggested these troops would either bolster existing offensives in Donetsk Oblast or create new threats along Ukraine's northern border, with efforts made to minimize societal backlash by avoiding major cities.