Russia may announce new wave of mobilization due to ‘catastrophic losses’: Ukraine

Russia may announce a new wave of “forced” mobilization in the near future due to “catastrophic losses”, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Monday.

“In connection with the catastrophic losses of the occupiers, it is expected that mass forced mobilization of the population will begin in the near future in the Russian Federation and in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by it,” the General Staff wrote in a statement.

It added that according to varying estimates the mobilization can range from 400,000 to 700,000 people.

“It should be noted that it is also planned to call up about 40,000 residents of the Chechen Republic, who will probably be used as ‘blocking units’ behind the Russian troops,” the General staff stressed.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

While it noted that among the population of Moscow and St. Petersburg, the numbers of planned mobilization again remain minimal.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence had reported on Sunday that Russia has amassed over 420,000 troops in the occupied Ukrainian territories and on the Crimean Peninsula. “That’s apart from the Russian National Guard, other bodies, special units, and the Russian security forces that support the occupying power in our territories,” said Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Chief of the DIU, as cited by the newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda.

Skibitskyi stressed that Russia has a very powerful contingent in Ukraine, which includes numerous tanks, armored vehicles, artillery systems, multiple-launch rocket systems and missile systems.

Meanwhile, the General Staff of Ukraine’s army reported on Sunday that the total combat losses of Russian troops since the beginning of the invasion amounted to: 269,120 military personnel, 4,564 tanks, 8,771 armored combat vehicles, 5,833 artillery systems, 763 multiple-launch rocket systems, 510 air defense systems, 315 fixed-wing aircraft, 316 helicopters, 4,598 tactical drones, 1,455 cruise missiles, 8,378 vehicles and tankers and 19 ships and boats.

Read more:

Satellite images show new buildings at Russian military bases near Finland’s border

Target of 1,000 vehicles: Ukraine, Sweden agree on joint production of CV-90 IFVs

Drones are being launched at Russian airfields from within Russia: UK