In his nightly video address, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on September 28 that Moscow was beginning new troop mobilizations after Russia’s parliamentary elections.
“Today the GUR reported on the measures that Russia plans for the future,” Zelensky said. “In fact, the Russians have already begun additional mobilization: they are increasing the number of people they recruit through various methods.”
The president said Russia was seeking to “increase foreign participation” in its armed forces. North Korea is preparing to deploy an additional 10,000 troops against Ukraine, in addition to the more than 8,000 troops currently stationed in Russia. In exchange for troops, Zelensky said Russia was providing technological assistance to North Korea and that Shahed attack drones were now produced by Pyongyang.
“This is how evil spreads and a threat to life in one part of the world spreads to other parts of the world,” Zelensky said. “This can only be overcome together.”
The president had previously angered South Korean leaders after disclosing details about captured North Korean troops in his speech at the 81st UN general debate.
Zelensky’s warnings come as Russian state media report that President Vladimir Putin authorized an increase in the size of Russia’s armed forces on September 28. Under the terms of the decree, Russian military personnel will be set at 2,441,630 people, including 1,550,500 on active duty. This would represent an increase of 15,500 people.
This is the fourth increase in the strength of the Russian army since the start of 2025.
Experts expected additional mobilization after the victory of Putin’s United Russia party in the September 21 parliamentary elections. The elections were widely considered rigged by election observers.
Ukrainian intelligence services say that the Russian General Staff is ready to mobilize around 300,000 troops in 2026 and 2027 each. These forces are in addition to the approximately 400,000 people a year that Russia must recruit simply to replenish its forces, a senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.
To help combat Russian troop increases, Zelensky called for new sanctions against Russia and help from allies, as Ukraine continues to be hit by widespread Russian drone and missile attacks.
Gn world
