“I can say that Russia is preparing to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops by June 1. soldiers”, V. Zelenskis said during a joint press conference with his colleague from Finland, Alexander Stubb, who is visiting Kyiv.
He is quoted by the Ukrainian portal “The Kyiv Independent”.
Ukrainian military intelligence has previously said that Russia is likely to increase mobilization efforts after the presidential election in March, in which Vladimir Putin had no real challengers.
He signed an order to call up 150 thousand. people
At the end of March, V. Putin signed a decree on 150,000 calling up citizens to serve in the army during the regular spring conscription campaign.
Moscow says it is not sending conscripts to fight in Ukraine, but the twice-yearly conscription of young men has come amid persistent rumors of a new wave of mobilization for an offensive in Ukraine.
Military service lasts 12 months.
Conscripts who have entered the service are under great pressure to sign voluntary military contracts allowing them to be sent to fight in Ukraine.
Ukraine is also looking for ways to mobilize more troops, with an updated mobilization bill being debated in parliament.
In response to a journalist’s question about how many troops Ukraine plans to mobilize this year, V. Zelenskiy said that “we don’t need half a million”, but refused to specify a specific number.
Source: BNS
Tags: Zelensky warns Russia preparing mobilize thousand June soldiers
