More than 113,000 Russians cross into Georgia in a week as fears grow of new mobilization, Politico reports

Kyiv Independent ^ | August 29, 2026 | Anna Fratsyvir

[BeauBo]

More than 113,000 Russians crossed into Georgia via the Upper Lars checkpoint last week amid growing fears the Kremlin is preparing to announce a new mobilization wave, Politico reported on Aug. 28.

The spike in border crossings comes as the Kremlin undertakes increasingly aggressive recruitment measures, expands data collection on military reservists, and broadens the mandate for the National Guard, all of which have fueled speculation of an imminent call-up.

Earlier, Ukraine's Presidential Office issued a warning on Aug. 27, saying that Russia plans to mobilize 600,000 recruits over 2026 and 2027, with 300,000 to be called up this year and another 300,000 next year, according to a briefing from Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR).

"Russia's political leadership views an additional wave of mobilization as a response to the aggressor state's loss of the initiative in the war, the continued increase in personnel losses on the front, and the significant slowdown in contract recruitment across the regions," the Presidential Office said in a statement...

...According to (Ukrainian President) Zelensky, the newly mobilized troops would supplement existing recruitment inflows and could be used either to reinforce Russia's offensive on the "fortress belt" cities in Donetsk Oblast or to open new fronts elsewhere, including along Ukraine's northern border.

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TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: conscription; dailycalltoprayer; donetskblackhole; draft; escaperussia; policestate; propaganda; russia; russiabreakup; russiandraft; ukraine

[BeauBo]

Georgia is one of the few countries bordering Russia that allows entry to Russians without visas. Of those countries, onward travel is easiest from Georgia.

[Codeflier]

Can’t believe Kemp allowed this.

[ansel12]

It’s the kids today, mention ‘meat-grinder’ death and maiming under horrible conditions, and they get all avoidy and suddenly have other things to do.

[frank ballenger]

I guess it’s the other Georgia. Not the one in the Lewis Grizzard book. If I Ever Get Back to Georgia, I’m Gonna Nail My Feet to the Ground.

https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/if-i-ever-get-back-to-georgia-im-gonna-nail-my-feet-to-the-ground-9780394587257?shipto=US&curcode=USD&creative=&device=c&placement=&msclkid=860e1c041ddb19ff3ade76975188609a&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping-Search-Used-USA%20(PSDW)&utm_term=4582077290328395&utm_content=Everything%20Else

[roving]

Need to bring back the days the kings rode in the battle with the men. There would be a lot less battles.

[GingisK]

Don’t worry! They’ll get absorbed by I-285, never to be seen again.

[Alas Babylon!]

Honestly, can you really blame them?

[Alas Babylon!]

Taking the Midnight Train to Georgia.

[frank ballenger]

Always nice to have a song.

[Paladin2]

“Can’t believe Kemp allowed this.”

LOL.

I wuz going to go there or somewhere close...

[Disambiguator]

Russians have Georgia on their mind.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGxLakwCMA&pp=ygUdR2VvcmdpYSBvbiBteSBtaW5kIGNsYXltYXRpb24%3D&ra=m#bottom-sheet

[Paladin2]

Protect your DNA...

[Berosus]

I listen to a podcast from Latvia to keep track of the war in Ukraine, since I don’t expect any American media to report accurately on it. Because the Russian economy is in such bad shape, with Ukrainian drones flying at least a thousand miles past the border to attack Russian oil refineries and warehouses, that podcaster is predicting that the Russian state will start to break up very soon.

[ansel12]

No, not the Russians who don’t want to fight alongside their North Korean Army brothers, who would?

[canuck_conservative]

that podcaster is predicting that the Russian state will start to break up very soon

Thanks for the good news.

Hopefully that result will also include Pootin and his bastard sons eating a bullet.

[Paul R.]

My wife says her family back in various parts of Mindanao (not the Muslim parts!), Cebu, and Luzon (Philippines) have been seeing quite a few Russian immigrants since 2022 - mostly young men, some with families, some marry Filipinas.

I sure as heck wouldn’t want to go to a front with severely poorer chances of survival than even our bomber crews in WW2...

[mac_truck]

Rumors of a Russian mobilization have been accurate just once in the past twenty years...but I’m sure its different this time. 😉

[Paul R.]

Particularly given the odds...

[RetiredArmy]

Puke-tins plan to depopulate the USSR.

[Paul R.]

Need to bring back the days the kings rode in the battle with the men. There would be a lot less battles.

History doesn't seem to support that...