Zelensky uncertain about prospect to mobilise another 500,000 Ukrainians

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (chaired by Valeriy Zaluzhny), asked to mobilise another 450-500 thousand Ukrainians.

Speaking during a press conference that was broadcast on his social media page, Zelensky clarified that he did not approve the request from the General Staff, since there was no specific information available about rotations and leaves for the military.

"I haven't seen demobilisation there yet,” he said.

According to Zelensky, mobilising 500,000 Ukrainians will cost the country an extra 500 billion hryvnia (more than 1.2 trillion rubles).

Zelensky refuses to answer questions about his conflict with Zaluzhny

During the conference, Zelensky did not answer the question about his conflict with Valery Zaluzhny, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Zelensky refused to "help someone develop this topic,” and said that the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be responsible for the situation at the front.

"I expect concrete things from them on the battlefield and regarding mobilisation,” he said.

Speaking at the conference, Zelensky also said:

“Uncontrolled skies - this affected the 2023 southern operation. We don’t control the sky, we don’t have enough appropriate ammunition.”

"Joining NATO “in parts” is “nonsense” and a high risk for Ukraine. We will never support such a situation in which part of Ukraine joins the alliance, and part of the country controlled by Russia does not."