Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree mandating the expansion of the Russian military by an additional 180,000 troops, bringing the total number of active servicemen to 1.5 million by December 1. This move increases the overall size of Russia’s armed forces to nearly 2.4 million personnel, making it the second-largest military globally, just behind China. The expansion highlights Russia’s ongoing challenges in the Ukraine war, now entering its third year, as Moscow seeks to reinforce its capability to maintain long-term combat operations.
This marks the third significant military expansion since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Previous increases included 137,000 additional troops in August 2022 and another 170,000 in December. The latest troop boost comes as Russian forces continue to face fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops and logistical struggles, particularly following Ukraine’s recent advances in the Kursk Oblast. Although Russian defense officials claim to have retaken two regional villages, these reports have yet to be verified.
One key factor driving this latest expansion is Russia’s difficulty sustaining troop levels without triggering further internal unrest. After the controversial mobilization of 300,000 reservists in the fall of 2022, which sparked widespread protests and caused many Russian men to flee the country, the Kremlin has increasingly relied on recruiting volunteer soldiers with the promise of high wages. However, this strategy has only partially mitigated the personnel shortages impacting Russia’s war efforts, especially in areas like Kursk, where Ukrainian forces have recently made strategic gains.