Updated

French President Emmanuel Macron said France sees signs Russia is preparing to mobilize 300,000 more men, warning that tensions and Russian hostile acts across Europe have risen sharply in recent weeks. Rumors of a new mobilization drive have circulated in Russia since summer 2026, despite Putin publicly dismissing them as 'nonsense.' Despite official denials, many Russians are reportedly leaving the country as a precaution, driving a renewed housing rush in popular relocation destinations including Georgia, Armenia, and Serbia, echoing the mass emigration seen after the initial 2022 mobilization.