Russian President Vladimir Putin has again dismissed reports that Russia is preparing a new military mobilization, calling the rumors an “information attack” aimed at disrupting upcoming State Duma elections. “There is no scenario today that would require mobilization,” Putin said Thursday at the Eastern Economic Forum. “This is simply a planned information operation.”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The latest denial came a day after Putin called reports of a possible mobilization following the elections “nonsense” and an “information attack.” Putin has insisted that Russia has no need for a new mass call-up, claiming that Russians continue to join the military “voluntarily” by signing contracts with the Defense Ministry. He also claimed Russia has “no problems” recruiting troops for the front, while alleging that Ukraine’s armed forces are shrinking by 8,000 to 12,000 personnel each month. He provided no evidence for the figure. Despite Putin’s repeated denials, speculation about a new mobilization has intensified since the summer. Russian pro-war Z-channels reported in July that a potential forced call-up could involve as many as 1.2 million people. Western intelligence agencies have separately assessed that Russia is preparing military infrastructure to receive and equip additional recruits. Ukraine says Russia is preparing for 600,000 more troops Ukrainian intelligence also claimed that Russia is preparing for a major new mobilization wave in 2026-2027, potentially involving 600,000 people.