On September 3, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied reports of a planned military mobilization in Russia, countering claims made earlier by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In July, Zelensky said his intelligence services had received "clear information" that Russia was preparing for a new wave of mobilization in the autumn. Putin dismissed these claims as "disinformation" and an "informational attack from the enemy," timed ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections, which are scheduled to take place from September 18 to 20. According to Putin, there is currently no mobilization plan in place, and Russia has "enough" soldiers to meet its military needs without difficulty. He pointed to the partial mobilization of about 300,000 reservists in September 2022, which was carried out after Ukrainian counter-offensives threatened Russian advances. That mobilization caused a significant number of Russians to leave the country, and the Russian government has since been cautious about repeating such measures, despite heavy losses on the battlefield. Putin also noted that Russia has not faced major recruitment challenges, even four years after the start of its large-scale military operation in Ukraine. The Russian army now recruits soldiers by offering attractive salaries and social benefits. In 2025, Russia signed 422,000 military service contracts, a 6% decrease from the previous year, according to Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Dmitri Medvedev. However, the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, suggested in July that Russia was preparing for a potential mobilization. Russian military advances have slowed considerably this year, and the war has taken a heavy toll on Moscow's forces. As of now, Russia controls a little more than 19% of Ukrainian territory, including areas it already held before 2022, such as Crimea and parts of the Donbass region. These areas were either annexed in 2014 or controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Despite the challenges, Russia continues to maintain its military presence in the region.