Russia’s looming mobilization could spark domestic backlash, analysts warn

Analysts warn Moscow could shift from quiet manpower farming to overt mass mobilization to sustain its war in Ukraine, risking renewed domestic discontent as strikes and shortages bite Russia. The Kremlin has relied on selective recruitment and repression rather than broad conscription, and while Putin denies plans, timing may hinge on domestic and electoral considerations; even if kept subtle, mobilization would challenge the Kremlin’s narrative of victory and foreclose any immediate path to peace.