Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of manipulating the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections and preparing for a large-scale troop mobilisation after the polls, alleging that the move is aimed at prolonging Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In an address shared on X, Zelenskyy alleged that Moscow’s decision to bar the anti-war Yabloko party from the ballot was intended to facilitate what he called “sham elections” and manufacture an appearance of domestic political backing 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,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
His remarks came after Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday annulled the registration of the opposition Yabloko party for the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in September.
Zelenskyy also referred to what he described as internal Russian documents cited in a report by Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. According to the Ukrainian assessment, Moscow is preparing for a rapid mobilisation drive in the autumn, which would begin shortly after the parliamentary elections.
“There was a report from the Defence Intelligence - Oleh Ivashchenko - on Russia’s preparations for mobilisation. Everything is confirmed by internal Russian documents - they are preparing it for the fall, right after the imitation of parliamentary elections,” Zelenskyy claimed.
According to the Ukrainian president, Putin’s strategy is to use the elections to create the impression that Russian society supports the continuation of the war. He argued that all parties still permitted to participate in the elections are, to varying degrees, opposed to peace.
“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 said.
He further alleged that Moscow intends to carry out an additional mobilisation of several hundred thousand people by the end of the year, followed by a similar mobilisation next year. These forces, he said, would supplement Russia’s ongoing efforts to recruit personnel through military contract enlistment.
Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces deployed in Ukraine are losing at least 30,000 personnel every month, with around 60 per cent of those casualties allegedly being deaths. He also said sustained Ukrainian drone operations had gradually reduced the overall size of Russia’s occupation forces.
The Ukrainian leader alleged that Putin believes additional mobilisation, together with the deployment of North Korean troops, could enable Moscow to maintain the intensity of its military operations in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also said Russian forces had launched ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea from the Kursk, Rostov, Oryol and Voronezh regions during overnight attacks targeting Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia. He said the strikes caused multiple fatalities and left dozens of people injured.
In response to continued Russian bombardment, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian forces had carried out targeted long-range strikes 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,” he said.
Turning to diplomatic efforts, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s negotiating team had submitted formal proposals to the United States aimed at strengthening the country’s air defence capabilities and increasing pressure on Moscow to move towards ending the conflict.
“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,” Zelenskyy said, thanking those supporting Ukraine’s defence and independence.
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The controversy over Yabloko’s exclusion has added another dimension to criticism surrounding Russia’s electoral process. The Russian Supreme Court’s decision came only days after the Central Election Commission unanimously approved Yabloko’s registration on July 29.
The subsequent reversal has prompted speculation over whether the initial approval was part of a broader political strategy by the Kremlin. The court action followed a lawsuit filed by the pro-Kremlin nationalist Rodina party seeking Yabloko’s removal from the electoral contest.
Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov rejected the decision and said there were no grounds for excluding the party from the elections. Other Russian political parties have also levelled accusations against Yabloko.
The developments come as Russia prepares for parliamentary elections amid the continuing war in Ukraine, with the dispute over Yabloko’s participation intensifying scrutiny of political competition and the space available to anti-war voices within Russia.
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