Russia May Be Preparing a New Wave of Mobilization Involving 300,000 People – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he sees signs that Russia is preparing for a new wave of mobilization and does not rule out an escalation of Moscow’s aggressive actions against European countries. 

According to the French president, one of the most likely scenarios currently shared by many is the mobilization of about 300,000 people. Macron noted that there are several indications that Russia is preparing to take such a step.

He also stated that the Kremlin is signaling its readiness to continue incurring significant human losses in order to seize the entire territory of the Donbas. According to Macron’s assessment, Russian troops may need another one and a half to two years to occupy the entire Donetsk region.

Separately, the French president did not rule out new hybrid attacks by Russia against European countries. According to him, Vladimir Putin views the European Union as “Ukraine’s strategic rear,” which makes European countries targets for Moscow.

Macron mentioned Russian cyberattacks on Western countries, as well as the attack on Leipzig Airport in early August. He warned that similar actions could occur on French territory.

Earlier, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that following CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s trip to Moscow in late August, U.S. intelligence allegedly shared information with European governments about Russia’s plans to attack Spain, France, and Italy using drones.

According to this information, Russia could be hiding “Gerbera” drones in containers on ships belonging to its shadow fleet and then launching them from the Mediterranean Sea toward ports and critical infrastructure facilities.

At the same time, Macron denied these reports. However, he drew attention to rising tensions and an increase in hostile actions in Europe. The French president also noted that last week he held a meeting with representatives of all political parties in the country to warn them about the development of this threat.

As early as late June, Russian media reported that, due to problems with recruiting new soldiers, the Kremlin might be considering a new wave of mobilization after the State Duma elections in October.

In August, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the Financial Times also reported that Russian authorities were preparing for a mobilization after the elections.

Against this backdrop, Russian authorities began more actively denying the possibility of a mobilization. Since June 1, officials at the federal level have stated at least 18 times that there are no such plans. In September, Vladimir Putin made statements twice in three days that no new mobilization was planned.