Russia is planning to mobilize 500,000 personnel by autumn, with some troops deployed to the eastern Ukraine front within weeks and others trained for potential new offensive directions. This mobilization is reportedly necessary because Russian casualties now exceed recruitment — the CIA estimates Russia is losing up to 7,000 troops per week in Ukraine. The timing suggests Russia needs both immediate combat replacements for the grueling eastern front and reserves for future operations as the conflict extends into 2026-2027.