Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday ordering the expansion of the Russian military by 180,000 troops, bringing the total number of active servicemen to 1.5 million by December 1. This increase raises the overall size of Russia’s armed forces to nearly 2.4 million personnel, making it the second-largest military in the world behind China. The expansion reflects the Kremlin’s ongoing challenges in the Ukraine war, now dragging into its third year, as Moscow seeks to bolster its capacity to sustain long-term combat operations.
This marks the third major expansion of the Russian military since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Previous increases included 137,000 additional troops in August 2022 and 170,000 more in December. The latest enlargement comes as Russian forces continue to face stiff Ukrainian resistance and logistical challenges in several regions, particularly following Ukraine’s recent advances into the Kursk Oblast. Russian Defense Ministry officials have claimed the recapture of two villages in the region, although these claims remain unverified.
One of the driving factors behind this expansion is Russia’s difficulty maintaining adequate troop levels without triggering further domestic unrest. Following the controversial mobilization of 300,000 reservists in the fall of 2022, which led to widespread protests and a mass exodus of Russian men, the Kremlin has increasingly turned to recruiting volunteer soldiers with promises of high wages. However, this approach has only partially addressed the personnel shortages affecting Russia’s war effort, particularly in areas like Kursk, where Ukrainian forces have recently made strategic gains.
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