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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of manipulating upcoming parliamentary elections and planning a large-scale troop mobilisation after the polls to prolong the war in Ukraine.
In an address shared on X, Zelenskyy alleged that Moscow barred the anti-war Yabloko party from the ballot to stage "sham elections" and create a false appearance of domestic political support for the conflict. "If Putin wants war so badly that he has now resorted to yet another blatant political manipulation with his sham elections, to the point that he was afraid to allow even a single party that said at least something about the need for peace on the ballot, and removed the Yabloko party, then his priorities are crystal clear," the Ukrainian President said on Tuesday. His remarks come as Russia's Supreme Court on Monday annulled the opposition Yabloko party's registration for the country's parliamentary elections, scheduled for September. Furthermore, Zelenskyy cited internal Russian documents which he said were confirmed in a report by Oleh Ivashchenko, Head of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence. The intelligence indicates that Moscow plans to execute a rapid wave of mobilisation in the autumn immediately following the elections. "There was a report from the Defense Intelligence - Oleh Ivashchenko - on Russia's preparations for mobilization. Everything is confirmed by internal Russian documents - they are preparing it for the fall, right after the imitation of parliamentary elections. Putin's plan is not particularly complicated. He wants to create the impression that Russians supposedly support the war - every party still permitted to run is, one way or another, against peace," Zelenskyy claimed. "And then, after the so-called elections, he plans an additional rapid mobilisation of several hundred thousand Russians by the end of the year, plus just as many more next year. This will be on top of the recruitment they are trying to carry out through contract enlistment," he added. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Moscow aims to execute "an additional rapid mobilisation of several hundred thousand Russians by the end of the year, plus just as many more next year" on top of ongoing contract enlistment efforts. Zelenskyy claimed that the Russian contingent in Ukraine loses at least 30,000 personnel monthly, 60 per cent of whom are killed, and that active Ukrainian drone operations have gradually reduced the overall size of Moscow's occupation forces. He alleged that Putin believes additional mobilisation and the deployment of North Korean troops will allow Russia to sustain its assault operations. The Ukrainian president also asserted that Russian forces launched North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles from the Kursk, Rostov, Oryol, and Voronezh regions in overnight strikes targeting Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, resulting in multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries. In response to the continued bombardment, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces carried out targeted long-range operations against Russian oil facilities, logistics hubs, and military infrastructure. "When we respond to such Russian strikes - when we strike their facilities in response - this must be viewed solely as a completely justified reaction to Russia's war, to its constant terror against Ukraine - against our people," Zelenskyy said. Addressing diplomatic developments, Zelenskyy noted that Kyiv's negotiating team has submitted formal proposals to the United States aimed at bolstering Ukraine's air defence capabilities and pressuring Moscow to transition from prolonging the conflict to preparing for its conclusion. "America can help strengthen our defense, first and foremost through air defense, and it can put pressure on Russia so that its plans change from prolonging the war to preparing to end it. I thank everyone who is helping us defend Ukraine, our people, and our independence," he stated. The decision by the Russian Supreme Court to bar the Yabloko party from upcoming parliamentary elections came just days after the Central Election Commission had unanimously approved its registration on July 29, raising speculation that the initial clearance was a planned tactic by the Kremlin, according to Euronews. The court ruling, which effectively eliminates the only officially registered political party opposed to Moscow's war in Ukraine, followed a lawsuit filed by the pro-Kremlin nationalist Rodina party seeking Yabloko's removal. Responding to the Supreme Court's verdict, Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov stated that "there are no grounds at all for removing the party from the elections." According to Euronews, leaders from other Russian political parties have also levelled accusations against Yabloko. (ANI)
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