Russia gears up for bigger war—plans to recruit 409,000 more troops for Ukraine front

Russia plans to recruit an additional 409,000 troops for the war against Ukraine. This means only one thing — the enemy is not abandoning its intentions and continues preparing for further aggression, says Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

With improving weather conditions, Russia's activity on the front line will increase. Syrskyi has recently held an operational meeting on the condition of engineering fortifications along the defensive lines.

Fortifications and counter-drone systems

He notes that key priorities include strengthening fortifications, developing counter-drone protection, and preparing populated areas for defense.

The Ukrainian commander-in-chief heard reports from military commanders, the leadership of the State Special Transport Service, and heads of regional military administrations. Problematic issues were discussed, and specific solutions with clear deadlines were defined.

Syrskyi emphasizes that the quality and speed of this work directly affect not only the resilience of defense but also the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.

He also thanked all those contributing to strengthening Ukraine’s defenses — military personnel, engineers, and local authorities.

Russia will pay any price for its plans

At the same time, expert Oleksandr Kovalenko says that the spring campaign has already been disrupted by Ukrainian forces.

“If the Russian command continues to follow plans set back in 2025, their losses will be significantly higher than last year, when they were already unable to compensate for losses across Russia,” he explains.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that over the past three months, Ukrainian forces eliminated 30,000, 35,000, and 28,000 Russian troops, respectively, which is nearly 100,000 personnel in total.

“Russia constantly mobilizes 40–45 thousand people per month. In order for the Russian army not to grow, we need to eliminate approximately the same number”, Zelenskyy stated.

This step is necessary for Ukraine to protect its land.