‘Information Ducks’: Kremlin Dismisses Mobilization Rumors

Aug. 25, 2026 Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency; Andrew Wulf / unsplash The Kremlin on Tuesday dismissed growing speculation that President Vladimir Putin may announce another mobilization wave following next month’s parliamentary elections, calling reports about a possible new draft deliberate fabrications. “The Ukrainian authorities are spreading all of this,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the broadcaster RTVI. “Their regime is trying to destabilize our country ideologically.” “All of this amounts to ‘information ducks’” — fabrications — “deliberately dumped into the news cycle,” he added. Peskov, who often uses the word “duck” to describe something as being false, similarly dismissed draft rumors in September 2022, just days before Putin declared a “partial” mobilization of 300,000 reservists. The spokesman’s remarks follow recent claims by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia is planning to mobilize an additional 300,000 troops following the State Duma and regional elections in September. Meanwhile, Western intelligence officials cited by The Wall Street Journal said the Russian military carried out mobilization readiness exercises in the Kaliningrad region last month. Despite official denials, military analysts point to Russia’s heavy battlefield losses and declining voluntary enlistment figures as signs that a new call-up may be unavoidable. However, some experts also note that another mass mobilization would present serious logistical hurdles and might fail to address tactical challenges on the front line. Read more about: Mobilization , Peskov Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Senior Russia Lawmaker Denies End to Mobilization Deferment For Fathers A senior Russian lawmaker on Friday denied that the Russian military had canceled the right to mobilization deferment for fathers of three or more... Russian State to Fund Sperm Freezing for Mobilized Soldiers Russian reservists called up to fight in Ukraine as part of Russia's recent mobilization drive will be eligible for free sperm-freezing procedures, state-run... Putin Forms Mobilization Task Force Featuring Military Bloggers President Vladimir Putin established a task force Tuesday to coordinate work between the government and pro-war military bloggers on Russia&rsquo... Kremlin Criticizes Trump’s Statements on NATO and Russia The Kremlin has criticized Donald Trump’s controversial statement about а hypothetical Russian invasion of the Baltics as “not the best formulation...