Russia likely to mobilize at least 300,000 more troops to Ukraine war, Zelensky warns | CNN

Russia is likely to mobilize another 300,000 troops later this year, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as it tries to complete the capture of a long-coveted region of east Ukraine. In wide-ranging remarks released Sunday, Zelensky said he expected that the Russians would end the year occupying the same amount of Ukrainian territory as at the beginning of the year, despite enormous losses of manpower. “Russia has lost 267,000 personnel since the start of the year, including around 155,000 killed to date,” Zelensky claimed. The figure is impossible to confirm but in line with estimates by Western officials. Russian parliamentary elections take place next month, and there has been speculation about a fresh mobilization despite a 2022 draft triggering protests and an exodus of young men. “We are confident that following the elections, they will carry out a mobilization. We believe this will not take place in the major cities,” Zelensky said. Zelensky said he believed Putin would “deploy the 300,000 newly mobilized troops depending on the situation in the east of our country,” and had told his generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by the end of th