Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to expand military mobilization, citing intelligence suggesting that Russian losses are outpacing recruitment numbers. Zelensky stated that nearly 225,500 Russian troops have been lost this year, with 131,000 killed and over 93,000 wounded. He described many of these injuries as severe, pointing to the dire state of frontline medical care in Russia. Zelensky also estimated that Russian forces had suffered around 1.6 million military casualties since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, including approximately 700,000 killed.
Zelensky argued that Putin is preparing to send more troops to the front, using vague language to mask the move. He noted that frontline medical care in Russia is so inadequate that many of the wounded are in critical condition. With Russia’s recruitment numbers falling short of targets this year—70,500 new soldiers signed contracts in the first three months of 2026, compared to 90,000 in the same period of 2025—Kyiv says the Kremlin has little choice but to turn to mass mobilization. According to the latest study by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Russia suffered an estimated 1.4 million battlefield casualties between February 2022 and June 2026, including up to 450,000 troops killed. In addition, Russia’s monthly losses in 2026 significantly exceeded the number of new troops it recruited.
Zelensky has repeatedly cautioned about Russia's intent to mobilize more forces in the coming months. He stated on July 24 that clear intelligence indicates Moscow is preparing a significant wave of mobilization for the fall, as the number of Russian troops being lost in combat surpasses the number of new recruits. Zelensky emphasized that Putin is attempting to conceal the mobilization plans but that the trend is unmistakable. Zelensky disclosed new estimates of military casualties on both sides of Russia’s full-scale war, saying that around 50,000 Ukrainian service members had been killed and approximately 400,000 wounded. The latest Ukrainian death toll cited by Zelensky is lower than the figure he gave five months earlier. In February, he said that at least 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been officially confirmed killed on the battlefield. The true scale of military losses is difficult to determine because neither Ukraine nor Russia discloses complete figures.
Airspace violations and Romanian defenses
Romania’s government intercepted a third Russian drone in three days, this time over the Danube Delta on July 26. The drone was identified as a Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicle, the same model Moscow has used extensively in Ukraine. The drone was shot down by a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jet at 10:13 a.m. near the border with Ukraine in the Sulina–Chilia area of the Danube Delta.
The incident follows two similar violations of Romanian airspace within a short span. On July 24, a Shahed-type UAV was also intercepted and destroyed. Romanian President Nicușor Dan expressed strong condemnation of the drone incursions, emphasizing that such actions are a violation of NATO and EU airspace. Dan stated that the Romanian government is treating the issue with the highest level of seriousness and will base its diplomatic response on the findings of ongoing investigations.
Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Russia’s ambassador was summoned in response to the violations. These incidents are part of a pattern, with prior drone attacks recorded in January 2025, February 2025, and April 2026. In May 2026, a Russian drone struck a residential building in Galați, causing two civilian injuries.
Wildberries hides war-related goods after strikes
Following Ukrainian strikes on several of its warehouses starting July 18, Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, has begun obscuring military-related items in its search results. The company now hides goods such as bulletproof vests and fiber-optic cables used by the Russian military under terms like “SVO,” the Kremlin’s acronym for the ongoing invasion. Kyiv claims the warehouses were targeted to disrupt supply lines to Russian forces.
Wildberries offers a variety of dual-use items on its platform, including supplies directly applicable to the battlefield in Ukraine. The company reportedly removed these items from search results following the attacks. Ukrainian officials have stated that the attacks on the warehouses were aimed at interfering with Russian logistics and supply chains. The changes to Wildberries' platform suggest a response to these strikes, as the company now avoids displaying military goods under specific search terms related to the Russian invasion.
The company’s warehouses were repeatedly targeted in the weeks leading up to these changes, prompting an internal review of its inventory visibility. The Ukrainian military has confirmed that the warehouses served as logistical hubs for Russian forces, and their destruction was intentional. Wildberries’ actions appear to be a strategic attempt to minimize direct support to the Russian war effort following the strikes.