Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Russia is likely to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops later this year in a bid to complete its occupation of long-sought territory in eastern Ukraine.
In wide-ranging remarks issued on Sunday, President Zelenskiy said he expected Russia to end the year having occupied the same amount of Ukrainian territory as it began the year, despite huge losses in human resources.
“Russia has lost 267,000 personnel since the beginning of the year, including around 155,000 killed to date,” Zelenskyy claimed.
It is impossible to confirm this figure, but it is in line with estimates by Western officials.
Russia’s parliamentary elections will be held next month, and there is speculation that there will be fresh mobilizations, even as the 2022 draft law has sparked protests and an exodus of young people.
“I am confident that the government will carry out mobilization after the elections. I believe that there will be no mobilization in major cities,” Zelenskiy said.
President Zelenskiy said he believed Putin would “send 300,000 newly mobilized troops in response to the situation in the east of our country” and told generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by the end of the year.
“They will lose all 300,000 newly mobilized Russians. We will wipe them out,” Zelenskyy insisted.
Ukrainian military units defend about 20% of Donetsk, including a belt of strategic industrial cities such as Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.
President Zelenskiy said it is impossible for Russia to complete its occupation of the Donetsk region. He also suggested that Russian forces could try to invade the Kharkov and Sumy regions of northern Ukraine.
“Although we have not yet deployed troops to the Bryansk region (which borders northern Ukraine), military equipment can be seen along the border with the Russian Federation.”
Musk, Kushner, and air defense
Regarding air defense, President Zelenskiy compared the number of Patriot missiles to be delivered in 2023 (675) with this year’s projected number of 264. Ballistic missile attacks are causing increasing civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure across Ukraine, and the Patriots are the only means to shoot them down.
“As you can see, unfortunately there is a downward trend and this is largely up to the US side,” he said.
Last month, US President Donald Trump suggested Ukraine would be allowed to manufacture Patriot missiles under license, but later walked back that idea.
Zelenskiy said that if the United States supplies up to 10% of its Patriot missile inventory to Ukraine, Kiev will pay for it. Such efforts “could make a huge difference both in terms of saving lives and diplomatically.”
Zelenskiy said Ukraine faces the same problems in acquiring Astar air defense missiles from Europe, despite recent promises by French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Despite the Aster missiles being produced, there are not enough of them,” he said, adding that a licensing deal would speed up supply.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is searching for sites in Russia where ballistic missiles are launched, Zelenskiy said.
Zelenskiy said Russia’s military industry could produce about 1,300 ballistic missiles a year. “There are specific goals for attacks on military targets and other anti-ballistic sanctions,” he said.
Ukraine has developed long-range drones and its own cruise missiles, which are used against a wide range of targets inside Russia.
He also spoke about Kiev’s efforts to obtain permission to use Starlink satellite images of Russian territory.
Starlink owner Elon Musk “believes this could lead to a major escalation on the part of Ukraine against the Russian Federation,” Zelenskiy said.
“He said he was in favor of ending the war, not prolonging it” — and talks with Washington continued.
Regarding negotiations, Zelenskiy suggested that the chance to end the war would last until late next summer, when the US presidential campaign begins.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner “found it very difficult to find a way for Russia to agree to end this war without Ukraine withdrawing from Donbas or accepting other unacceptable solutions.”
“Jared, Steve, and I agreed to distill all these arguments on one page and present realistic options for ending the war. This is what Americans want to discuss with us and with the Russians.”
