The Russian military mobilization could intensify in response to the hemorrhaging of its troops in Ukraine. A law allows the deployment of two million reservists. The Kremlin fears a new mass exodus.
Facing the hemorrhaging of its troops in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is reportedly preparing the ground for a new military mobilization, as reported by the Moscow Times, citing a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) dated February 19.
A law passed at the end of 2025 allows the Russian Ministry of Defense to mobilize up to two million men from a recently formed reserve. This measure would indicate the Kremlin’s desire to address the serious personnel shortage. Western intelligence services estimate that Russia is currently losing more soldiers than it is recruiting: for example, in January, the army reportedly integrated 9,000 fewer soldiers than the number of casualties recorded on the front lines.
Up to now, the Russian government claimed that these reservists would only be used for the “protection” of critical infrastructure. But the reform passed at the end of 2025 now allows their deployment outside Russian territory, notes the ISW. Since November, recruitment offices have been almost constantly enrolling, and in December, Vladimir Putin signed a law establishing the systematic training of these reservists.
Massive Exodus Caused by the 2022 Mobilization
The previous mobilization in 2022 had caused widespread discontent and the exodus of 700,000 to 900,000 Russians abroad. Today, the Kremlin fears a similar scenario. Despite recruitment campaigns, the available forces remain in decline: in May 2025, only 78,000 of the 300,000 soldiers mobilized in 2022 were still on the front lines.
“Putin has long been trying to strike a delicate balance: on the one hand, prevent popular discontent over a large-scale new partial conscription; on the other hand, maintain the momentum of the offensive; and finally, preserve the workforce of the civilian and defense sectors, in an already weakened Russian economy,” writes the ISW.
By the end of 2025, the Ministry of Defense’s recruitment campaign had enrolled 422,700 people, compared to 450,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2023. Over three years, the army’s numbers have reportedly decreased by around 10%. According to the ISW, the Russian army lost 425,000 men in just 2025. Since the start of the conflict in February 2022, over 1.2 million Russian soldiers are believed to have been killed.
