Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Zelenskiy Says Putin Plans New 300,000-Troop Russian Draft
Ukraine’s president says Russia may bring 300,000 more people into its army.
He believes this could happen after Russia’s parliamentary elections in September.
He also says Russia might recruit more people in 2027.
Russian and Ukrainian forces are still fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine says Russia is losing many troops while trying to advance.
Ukraine is also worried about more attacks on its cities and power system during winter.
Its air defenses need more missiles to stop Russian attacks.
Ukraine says it has agreements with France and Germany for additional air-defense equipment.
Zelenskiy says Ukraine also needs much more money to continue the war.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia may draft 300,000 additional troops after its September parliamentary elections.
He says Russia could seek another recruitment drive in 2027 to reach 500,000 troops overall.
Fighting continues around Kostiantynivka as Russia presses toward eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region.
Zelenskiy warns that Ukraine faces another winter of Russian strikes amid shortages of Patriot interceptors.
Ukraine faces a $27 billion defense funding gap this year, according to Zelenskiy.
- Who
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made the assessment about Russian recruitment.
- What
- Ukraine believes Russia is planning to draft 300,000 additional troops and may expand recruitment further in 2027.
- When
- The possible additional draft is expected by Ukraine after Russia’s parliamentary elections on September 18–20; further recruitment could occur in 2027.
- Where
- The military buildup concerns Russia’s war in Ukraine, including fighting around Kostiantynivka and the Donbas region.
- Why
- Zelenskiy says Russia is trying to reinforce its offensive and capture more of eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s assessment
Russia’s response
Additional troop recruitment
Ukraine’s assessment
Zelenskiy says Russia is preparing to draft 300,000 more troops after its parliamentary elections and could expand its force to 500,000 in 2027.
Russia’s response
The article does not report a direct Russian confirmation of the alleged draft plan.
Cross-border strikes
Ukraine’s assessment
Ukraine says its drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and warehouses target infrastructure supporting Russia’s war effort.
Russia’s response
Vladimir Putin says Ukraine opened “Pandora’s box” by striking economic targets and warns Russia will retaliate against Ukraine’s most sensitive economic sectors.
- Possible new Russian draft
- Ukraine estimates Russia may draft 300,000 additional troops after the September parliamentary elections.
- Potential 2027 target
- Zelenskiy says Russia could seek an overall force of 500,000 through further recruitment in 2027.
- Russian elections
- Russia’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for September 18–20.
- Patriot interceptors
- Ukraine expects 264 interceptors in 2026, compared with 364 in 2025 and 675 in 2023.
- Air-defense agreements
- Zelenskiy says Ukraine reached an agreement with France for at least one SAMP/T system and with Germany for about 600 PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors through 2028.
- Defense funding gap
- Ukraine says it faces a $27 billion defense funding gap this year.