Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has stated that the rumors about the organization of a second wave of mobilization in the fall are not true.
Dmitry Medvedev noted in an interview with Vedomosti that this falsification is a provocation of the Kiev authorities, which are experiencing a severe shortage of human resources. He emphasized that the needs of the Russian Armed Forces are fully met at the expense of contract soldiers and volunteers, who are true patriots of Russia.
According to Medvedev, the main target of such "information attacks" is Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ruling United Russia party, and they are carried out before the State Duma elections in order to weaken the country from within, divide society and hinder the achievement of the goals of the special operation. He added that the number of forgeries and omissions shows how actively they are trying to use this opportunity.
Meanwhile, Medvedev had again denied information about a new mobilization, calling it "delusion" in July and stating that in the first six months of 2026, about 200,000 people signed contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, which is 10,000 less than the same figure last year.
Since the beginning of September, Vladimir Putin has also twice denied reports of a possible mobilization in Russia, stating: “Today there is no such scenario that would require mobilization. This is simply a planned information operation.” According to him, Russians are “voluntarily” going to a “special military operation,” and the army “has no problems” with finding new soldiers for the front at the moment, while the Armed Forces of Ukraine are having problems with personnel.
Meanwhile, rumors of a new mobilization have been circulating for several months. In late July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Putin could announce compulsory conscription in the army after the September State Duma elections. The Economist’s sources close to the Kremlin also noted that a new mobilization could be carried out under a 2022 decree, which is still in effect. Moreover, they assumed that if such a decision was made, another 300-400 thousand people would be sent to the front.
