Russia is preparing a new wave of mobilizations in the army, in the context of the slow advance in Ukraine

Following a modest advance on the front in Ukraine in July and Vladimir Putin's persistent ambition to conquer the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, experts suggest that a new military mobilization is inevitable.

The Wall Street Journal cites sources from the American administration indicating that the Kremlin may launch a new wave of mobilization after the September elections for the State Duma. This mobilization could involve sending soldiers with minimal training, considering the low flow of contract soldiers.

Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, states that if Putin continues to insist on the complete occupation of Donbas, mobilization could become a necessity. However, the political risks associated with such a decision could outweigh the military benefits, considering the negative reactions from the population.

In some regions, forced mobilization has resumed, and the number of vacancies for specialists in recruitment has increased significantly. The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, announced that the authorities have managed to recruit 200,000 people for military service in the first half of 2026, while the total losses of the Russian army could reach 1.4 million people.