The ISW made the prediction in its latest analysis of the war in Ukraine, published on Tuesday night.
The Washington-based think tank said: “Putin may announce a second mobilisation wave to expand his army in the coming days—possibly as early as January 18.”
According to the US experts, “Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced on January 17 that Putin will deliver a speech in St. Petersburg on January 18 in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Soviet forces breaking the Nazi siege of Leningrad, Putin’s hometown.”
The ISW noted that “Putin is fond of using symbolic dates to address the Russian people,” and that some Russian pro-war bloggers had said he would “seize this opportunity to either declare mobilisation or war with Ukraine.”
These suggestions come after Ukrainian and Western intelligence “repeatedly warned of Putin’s mobilisation preparations scheduled for mid-January,” the US think tank reported.
Russia announces large-scale military reform
Meanwhile, Russia has announced it will make "major changes" to its army between 2023 and 2026, promising to shake up its military structure after a series of setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine, Britain’s The Guardian newspaper reported.
The reform is set to include administrative changes, as well as strengthen the combat capabilities of the naval, aerospace and strategic missile forces, according to officials.
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the changes had been made necessary by the West’s "proxy war" in Ukraine, according to The Guardian.
The Netherlands pledges Patriot battery for Ukraine
The Netherlands has promised to provide Ukraine with a battery of the Patriot air defence system, following similar pledges from the United States and Germany, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday night.
In a video address to the nation, Zelensky said: “Today we heard very important news from Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. The news is actually a continuation of our recent negotiations with him. Ukraine will be provided with another Patriot battery. Thank you, Mark!”
Zelensky added, as quoted by the presidential website: “We already have three guaranteed batteries. But this is only the beginning. We are working on new decisions to strengthen our air defense."
Earlier in the day, Rutte told US President Joe Biden that the Netherlands would offer Patriot missiles to Ukraine, the Ukrainska Pravda website reported.
Dnipro rescue operation completed: officials
A search and rescue operation following Saturday’s Russian missile strike on a block of flats in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro has been concluded, according to officials.
The death toll stands at 45, including one child, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk region military administration said, as quoted by The Guardian.
At least 19 people are missing and a further 79 injured, local officials said.
Meanwhile, a makeshift memorial has appeared in Moscow to honour the victims of the Russian missile strike, The Guardian reported.
Wednesday is day 329 of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: understandingwar.org, The Guardian, president.gov.ua, Ukrainska Pravda