"Without the mobilization of 250,000 soldiers, we have little chance" - Da Vinci Wolves battalion commander Filimonov

War is changing: in 2022, Russian soldiers were unfamiliar with the terrain; their commanders taught them geography using topographic maps. Even their methods of using drones or weapons were much less qualified. They learn much faster from our mistakes. We are fighting against an army with an infinite purse" said the commander of the separate mechanized battalion "Wolves of Vinci".

"Without mobilizing at least 250,000 people, we have very little chance of holding back the Russians on the borders where we are now. There can be no talk of restoring the borders this year. Also, no talk of reclaiming Crimea, Mariupol, or Donetsk"
said the commander of the Wolves of Vinci.

Filimonov was asked, "Can Ukraine only defend itself this year?" He replied that it depends on many factors, such as changes in the army, recruitment, mobilization, assistance from Western allies, permission to use Western weapons on Russian territory, and events happening within the aggressor country.

"If Putin dies or another 'Wagner' appears who manages to reach Moscow, if a liberation struggle of the peoples occupied by the Russian Empire begins, then everything can turn upside down," said the commander of the Wolves of Vinci.

Voluntary mobilization is much better than coercion because it gives the right to choose, Filimonov believes. "It would seem that everyone willing to fight for these two years is already at war. In reality - no."

The need for mobilizing 400,000 people cannot be satisfied immediately, according to the Ministry of Defense. "Mobilizing 400-500 thousand people simultaneously is impossible. The total need for the number of mobilized depends on the development of the situation on the front," the Ministry of Defense said in a comment to the Financial Times.

"As for the number of mobilized. We immediately note that for security reasons, we cannot comment on the exact number of people needed to be involved in the Armed Forces. At the same time, 400-500 thousand are general estimates that are adjusted depending on the development of events on the battlefield and cannot be satisfied immediately. The process of strengthening the armed forces continues, including necessary to have the ability to release those who defend the state from the first days of full-scale invasion. Determining the final term of service is extremely important. Currently, the Verkhovna Rada is considering a bill proposing to set such a term at 36 months," the Ministry of Defense said.

The Ministry also noted that changes to the mobilization law would enable understanding the mobilization potential in the country through the improvement of the military accounting process and the creation of appropriate digital mechanisms.

In addition, changes to the mobilization mechanism will affect the training of military personnel. During martial law, such training will last up to 3 months, including basic military training and specialized training.