×

Putin will draft 300,000 new troops after September elections, Zelenskiy says

By Thomson Reuters Aug 23, 2026 | 3:16 AM

KYIV, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Ukraine believes Russia ​is planning ‌to mobilise an additional 300,000 troops ‌for ​its ⁠war effort after ⁠parliamentary elections in September, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ​said.

In comments to ⁠reporters ⁠released on ​Sunday, Zelenskiy added ​that Russia could ‌draft hundreds of thousands more ⁠in 2027 for its key goal ⁠of ‌capturing the ⁠rest of ​Ukraine’s ‌eastern Donetsk ​region.

(Reporting by ⁠Max Hunder and Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Emelia ​Sithole-Matarise)