Russia is preparing to mobilize more than 500,000 people this fall. Some of them will reportedly be sent to the front in Ukraine almost immediately, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council.

"Russia is preparing to mobilize at least 500,000 people in the fall. Some are reportedly planned to be thrown into battle within the first two weeks to plug gaps in the east, while others will undergo training for a month in preparation for a potential opening of a new front. This is Russia's plan," Kovalenko said.

He noted that Ukraine is likely to face an extremely intense fall and winter.

Ukrainian troops will have to endure very difficult infantry battles involving soldiers, drones, glide bombs, and "other tools of killing."

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia could launch a new wave of mobilization after the State Duma elections. This would allow Moscow to avoid the significant costs associated with recruiting contract soldiers.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the HUR, also said that Russia was secretly preparing for a nationwide mobilization to continue its war against Ukraine.

The Russian leadership is currently avoiding any public mention of a general mobilization due to concerns about public dissatisfaction.

It was also reported that Russian regional authorities have beenpressuring businesses to provide personnel for the war against Ukraine. Those unwilling or unable to do so have reportedly been offered the option of paying a "ransom" instead.

Russia prepares to mobilize 500,000 troops for Ukraine war

500,000 or 5,000,000?

Where are they coming from - Putin's military doing recruit drives in Russian high schools, just as Hitler did in Germany in late 1944 - early 1945?

Will the mobilised "volunteers" receive the standard 1-, 2- or 3-week training course before being shipping off to the Russian front?

Untrained pressganged conscripts! The Russian army which invaded Ukraine is gone, so who is going to lead them?

That should tip the balance!

Russia is storing up a lot of problems for the future with this war. Ukraine also, but Russia much more.

Brutalised men, immune to the horrors they have seen or committed, many suffering PTSD and other mental issues will likely find it difficult to reintegrate into society, perhaps turn to crime and / or drugs, or find it difficult to hold down a job.

4 hours ago, phetphet said:

Russia is storing up a lot of problems for the future with this war. Ukraine also, but Russia much more.

Brutalised men, immune to the horrors they have seen or committed, many suffering PTSD and other mental issues will likely find it difficult to reintegrate into society, perhaps turn to crime and / or drugs, or find it difficult to hold down a job.

Yes, as in Afghanistan and Chechnya.

I am not sure that really bothers the Russian elite though - they are just the "Helot". Just like the Czarist regime, and the Bolshevik/Soviet regimes they will rely on ruthless oppression to keep their people down.

Cynics might suggest that given the massive casualties that will follow from sending untrained, ill equipped and effectively leaderless conscripts onto a modern battlefield then the problem of survivors may not be that great.

The business opportunities for "engineering a certain flexibility" when it comes to conscription and deployment will be considerable. I suspect that will interest many of the " big hat" brigade!

The poor sods who will be handed a set of fatigues, an old AK47, and put on a bus and sent to the front will not bother them at all. They will die in droves.

Another chapter in the book "Poor Bloody Infantry"!

Edited July 19Jul 19 by JAG