UKRAINE WAR: MACRON SAYS NEW 300,000-TROOP RUSSIAN MOBILIZATION IS A REALISTIC SCENARIO
French President Emmanuel Macron says a new Russian mobilization of around 300,000 troops is a realistic possibility, citing assessments he said had been discussed by European and U.S. intelligence agencies in coordination with Ukraine.
Macron said several indicators suggest Moscow could be preparing for another wave of military recruitment. According to the French president, Russia may have been waiting until after elections before formally announcing a new mobilization or implementing it without a public declaration.
He linked the potential mobilization to what he described as Russia’s objective of capturing the entire Donbas. Macron said that, if Russian forces continue advancing at their current pace, Moscow could require another 18 months to two years to achieve that objective, while suffering heavy casualties.
Macron also estimated that Russian military losses, including killed and wounded, have reached approximately 1.2 million people since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia announced in February 2022 the launch of a ‘special military operation,’ then, three weeks later, said it was going to conquer Ukraine. Today, four and a half years have passed,” Macron said.
The French president also stressed the need for continued military support for Ukraine to contain Russian advances. He announced that France had agreed to provide Kyiv with additional radars and missiles.