Zelensky Warns Putin to Draft 300,000 Troops for Donetsk Push After September Vote
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Aug 23
Zelensky Warns Putin to Draft 300,000 Troops for Donetsk Push After September Vote
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Aug 23
Summary
300,000 new troops could be drafted from next month, Zelensky said, warning Putin plans a fresh mobilization after September elections to capture the rest of Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Donetsk remains Moscow's key territorial objective as Russia tries to replenish heavy battlefield losses and sustain a broader offensive alongside intensified strikes on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
360 missile interceptors are needed for the coming winter, Zelensky said, while Ukraine expects just 264 Patriot interceptors in 2026 and still faces a $27 billion defense funding gap this year.
57% of Ukrainians want elections only after the war ends, according to an August 5 poll, as Zelensky said a wartime vote would "destroy" the country by splitting society.