‘More Infantry, More Killed’: Russia’s Next Mobilization Could Backfire, Kyiv General Says

Russian forces have developed an infantry shortage over the past year, and another mobilization campaign would not necessarily solve the problem, a senior Ukrainian commander said Thursday. Brig. Gen. Andriy Biletsky, commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps, made the assessment during an interview with the national television marathon amid speculation that Moscow could announce another mobilization after Russia’s State Duma elections.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “They definitely have a better infantry [numbers] situation than we do. That is a fact,” Biletskyi said. “But over the past year, we can conclude that the Russians have also developed an infantry shortage.” Biletsky said he did not believe mobilization would radically change Russia’s battlefield position because deploying more soldiers would also lead to higher casualties. “More infantry means more losses,” he said. The general said the effectiveness of modern military operations increasingly depends on the organization of a reconnaissance-strike system capable of rapidly detecting and hitting targets. Drones and other sensors are central to that system, he added. Rather than automatically producing battlefield gains, a larger Russian infantry force could provide Ukrainian units with more targets if their reconnaissance and strike capabilities remained effective, Biletsky said. “More Russian infantry will mean more Russian soldiers killed,” he said, while acknowledging that a new mobilization would still create additional difficulties for Ukraine. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Submits Record 2027 Budget as Finance Minister Warns of Cash Strain Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko presented Ukraine's record 2027 budget to parliament, warning of a year-end cash crunch and a $32.6 billion financing gap for 2027. Biletsky also argued that mobilized soldiers could have a greater effect on public opinion inside Russia than volunteer contract troops, particularly as casualties rise. “The deaths among those mobilized will significantly contribute to social tension in Russia,” he said. If Ukraine withstands the additional pressure, another Russian mobilization could ultimately accelerate internal problems within Russia. “If we hold out, I think Russian mobilization could even be positive for us,” he said. “The processes of Russia’s internal disintegration will begin sooner.” He added that some signs of those processes were already visible but had not yet reached a decisive level. Former Russian President and current Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev dismissed reports that Moscow is preparing a new wave of military mobilization, characterizing claims of an impending draft as false and provocative, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Friday, Sept. 11. Medvedev claimed that reports suggesting Russia is on the verge of a mobilization call-up were fabricated to destabilize domestic public opinion ahead of elections to the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament. “To change that picture, they are spreading nonsense about Russia being ‘on the verge of mobilization,’” Medvedev said, arguing that such assertions were aimed at counterbalancing difficulties faced by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. “I deal with this matter directly on the instructions of the supreme commander-in-chief, so I can state with full responsibility: we have absolutely no need for mobilization.” Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.