Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree to increase the size of Russia’s armed forces by approximately 170,000 troops, bringing the total number of military personnel to 1.32 million. This decision comes as the conflict in Ukraine enters its 22nd month.
The Kremlin released Putin’s decree on Friday, which took immediate effect. This expansion raises the overall count of Russian military personnel to around 2.2 million, including the 1.32 million active troops.
This marks the second significant enlargement of the Russian army since 2018. The previous increase, ordered by Putin in August 2022, added 137,000 troops, bringing the military’s total numbers to about 2 million personnel, with roughly 1.15 million active troops.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that this new order does not necessarily mean a major increase in conscription. Instead, they plan to achieve this growth gradually by recruiting more volunteer soldiers. The ministry cited ongoing military operations in Ukraine and NATO’s expansion as the primary reasons for strengthening the army.