Zelenskyy said that Russia’s attacks have intensified and that its rhetoric may change after the election
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that, on the eve of the State Duma “elections,” Russia is trying to paint a picture of calm for its population, in particular by denying that it is preparing for mobilization. At the same time, Moscow is intensifying its airstrikes on Ukraine, ostensibly to demonstrate its “strength” to the Russian people.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia’s rhetoric may change after the “elections.”
Zelenskyy said that once the elections in Russia are over, Ukraine expects a new dynamic, including the possible mobilization of at least 300,000 Russian troops.
He noted that Russia’s infrastructure is already prepared for such a mobilization, though the format—whether covert or overt—remains unknown.
“Russia will now claim that there is no mobilization,” the president said, explaining that this is necessary to “reassure the public” ahead of the elections.
At the same time, Zelenskyy stated that Russia is not achieving the desired results on the battlefield, so it is trying to compensate for this with intensive airstrikes.
The president also accused the Russian side of spreading false information about the situation on the front lines.
In particular, he said, Russia recently claimed to have allegedly occupied Svyatogorsk, but the Ukrainian military demonstrated that it controls the city. Similarly, Zelenskyy called Russian claims about the distance to Sumy “an absolute lie.”
According to the president, Russia will continue these tactics throughout the State Duma elections in late September.
“Across Ukraine, they are carrying out constant, intense strikes as if they were ‘strong.’ That’s roughly how things will unfold during these ‘elections’ in late September; once the ‘elections’ are over, we’ll see a new dynamic in their rhetoric,” Zelenskyy concluded.
This was reported with reference to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement to journalists.
Zelenskyy held meetings with the heads of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), and the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Zelenskyy expects to meet with Trump in September.
Zelenskyy spoke about contacts between European intelligence agencies and Russia.
