French President Spots 300 Signs Russia Is Calling Up a New Wave of Soldiers

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to reporters following a Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris recently. He sat down with TF1 and France 2 to discuss the quiet developments happening across the border. He looked at the intelligence flowing in and he put a name to the movement. He said Russia is showing several signs of preparing for mobilization.

This is not just talk. There have been reports shared by European and American intelligence services. Likewise, his Ukrainian friends have been sharing data. The numbers involved are staggering. Ukrainian officials warned back in August that Russia might call up 600,000 people over the coming years. Specifically, the plan is to mobilize 300,000 men in 2026 and another 300,000 in 2027. You can read the details of that warning here.

Macron pointed out the timing of this potential move. He claimed the Kremlin has been waiting to hold elections. The voting happened recently. Now it is clear that Russia will do it. The real question is the delivery method. Will they announce it publicly or do it quietly without a public announcement? The recent election results gave Putin a mandate for all-out war.

Looking at the history helps put things in perspective. Russia has only relied on forced mobilization once since the invasion started. In the fall of 2022, Moscow announced a call-up. The reaction was chaotic. Hundreds of thousands of people left the country. Long lines formed at border crossings, particularly along the line to Georgia. Putin has tried to avoid that kind of reaction this time. He wants to keep his image as a guarantor of stability.