Zelenskyy: after the "elections" in russia, putin may increase mobilization

After the parliamentary elections in Russia, the Kremlin may resort to escalation steps, including increasing the scale of mobilization. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, July 15, reports UNN.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may choose this option due to the high cost of recruiting new contract servicemen. 

Details

According to the head of the Ukrainian state, the parliamentary elections in the Russian Federation themselves are unlikely to affect the Kremlin's further decisions regarding the war against Ukraine, as their outcome is essentially predetermined. At the same time, the vote could become a kind of starting point for Putin, after which the Russian authorities will have the opportunity to make unpopular decisions.

"This is a line of reference, after which Putin can take some escalation steps. We understand that this could be an increase in mobilization. What you said is one of the understandable steps, but it requires money," Zelenskyy said.

The President explained that Russia is currently trying to replenish its occupation forces mainly through contract signing. However, to attract new servicemen, the Kremlin has to increase one-time payments, salaries, and other financial incentives.

In case of a lack of funds for further expansion of contract recruitment, the Russian authorities may switch to more active forced mobilization.

"He will not be able to increase contracting because he needs to pay a lot of money. Therefore, he may go for an increase in mobilization. We are thinking about this. We need to prepare for such steps," the head of state emphasized.

Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine must consider other possible scenarios of Kremlin actions after the elections and be ready for new military and political challenges. According to him, Putin still has other tools to increase pressure and continue the war.

Separately, the president drew attention to the change in public sentiment in Russia. According to information available to Ukraine, the number of Russians who do not support the war and want it to end has significantly increased. This trend is especially noticeable in the border regions of the Russian Federation, whose population directly feels the consequences of the war unleashed by the Kremlin.

Context

Parliamentary elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation are scheduled for September 18–20, 2026. Earlier, the Ukrainian authorities reported signs of Russia preparing additional mobilization measures that could cover tens of thousands of people. According to Kyiv's assessment, this is due to the need to compensate for significant losses of the Russian army at the front.

In September 2022, Putin already announced a so-called partial mobilization in Russia. After that, the Russian authorities formally did not report its completion, while simultaneously trying to replenish the army through contract recruitment, payments, and regional recruitment campaigns.

Reminder 

On July 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian naval nuclear forces to be put on full combat readiness.