Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia plans to mobilize 300,000 additional soldiers following its parliamentary elections in September, with Moscow aiming to seize the remainder of Ukraine's Donetsk region. Zelensky stated that Russia has lost 267,000 troops since the start of the year, including approximately 155,000 killed, prompting President Vladimir Putin to order his generals to complete the occupation of Donetsk by year's end.
Kyiv faces mounting defense challenges as interceptor missile deliveries have declined sharply — from 675 in 2023 to just 264 expected this year. Ukraine is seeking 30 billion euros from the European Union to cover a defense budget shortfall of $27 billion, though some assistance is materializing: France has pledged the SAMP/T-NG air defense system and Britain has approved Storm Shadow missile production in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russian forces already control 80 percent of Donetsk, while Ukrainian troops have recaptured 500 to 600 square kilometers in Zaporizhzhia this summer. Ten Ukrainian soldiers were freed in a prisoner exchange on Ukraine's Independence Day.