Russia Preparing New Mobilization Wave of 600,000, Ukrainian Intelligence Says
Ukraine’s intelligence agencies say Russia is preparing a new mobilization wave that could bring 600,000 additional troops into the war effort across 2026–2027. Kyiv says Moscow is tightening recruitment and coercive measures as battlefield losses rise and contract recruitment slows.
Ukrainian intelligence data suggests Russia is preparing for a new mobilization wave of 600,000 people in 2026-2027, according to the country's presidential office. Russian authorities are planning to recruit 300,000 people in 2026 and another 300,000 in 2027. This additional mobilization is a response to the loss of initiative in the war, rising personnel losses on the front, and a slowdown in contract recruitment across the regions.
Russian personnel losses from January through July 2026 amounted to around 240,000, with at least 140,000 being irrecoverable, while only 232,000 were recruited under contract during the same period. The Russian General Staff has reportedly already prepared a plan for the additional mobilization wave. To facilitate recruitment, Russia is amending its legislation and regulations, tightening control over military registration, and creating mechanisms to recruit people serving sentences in prisons and penal colonies.
The eligibility categories for military service have been expanded to include those with certain criminal convictions. Russian leadership has also approved extending mobilization and/or contract recruitment to significant categories of women serving sentences. The Russian government plans to establish recruitment quotas for law enforcement agencies and offer training in Belarus.
The decision to mobilize is likely to come after Russia's State Duma elections scheduled for September 18-20, 2026.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
