ISW: Moscow preps rolling mobilization as Kyiv presses southern gains
ISW’s February 23 update flags Moscow's use of Defender of the Fatherland Day to frame and enable limited rolling involuntary mobilization, with Putin and Medvedev pushing a responsibility narrative and Kremlin safeguards to blunt domestic backlash, including tighter internet controls and limited social protections if mobilization expands. On the battlefield, Ukraine continues to liberate southern areas with movements near Kupyansk, Oleksandrivka, and Verbove, though ISW notes contested Russian gains and a fluid front line. Russia aims to bolster intelligence and disrupt satellite communications, while Belarus increases military cooperation and drone activity. Ukrainian strikes hit oil infrastructure in Russia (Tatarstan) and Belgorod, and the war remains marked by heavy attrition and shifting control across Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia directions. ISW will continue monitoring frontline changes and refine its terrain maps as new evidence emerges.
