Putin denies new mobilization, but Ukraine warns Russia may draft 600,000 more troops.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed reports that Moscow is preparing another wave of military mobilization. However, Ukrainian officials warn that Russia could still call up as many as 600,000 additional soldiers for the war. Putin’s denial comes as Kyiv points to warning signs. Ukrainian intelligence says Russia is preparing for a major troop increase, despite Moscow’s public reassurances. This is not the first time such denials have been issued. Russian officials gave similar assurances before the Kremlin’s 2022 call-up, which saw hundreds of thousands of reservists drafted. That decree authorizing the mobilization was never formally revoked, according to available records. The possibility of a new draft has raised concerns across Ukraine and among Western allies. A call-up of that scale would mark one of the largest military expansions since the war began.