Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a directive to expand the size of the Russian armed forces by an additional 180,000 troops, bringing the total number of active servicemen to 1.5 million. This latest move marks the third significant increase in Russia's military personnel since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The decree, set to take effect on December 1, 2024, also boosts the overall number of military personnel within Russia's army to 2.38 million.
The expansion comes at a critical juncture, as tensions between Russia and NATO continue to escalate. Putin's decree reflects a continued emphasis on bolstering Russia's military capabilities amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the perceived threat from NATO's support of Kyiv. The Kremlin has been vocal about the potential for Western military aid to Ukraine to lead to a broader conflict, with Putin warning that the use of longer-range weapons by Ukraine could bring NATO into direct confrontation with Russia.
This latest expansion of Russia's military forces is part of a broader strategy that has seen significant increases in troop numbers over the past two years. In August 2022, Putin ordered an additional 137,000 troops, followed by another 170,000 in December 2023. The Russian military has also mobilized over 300,000 soldiers through a partial mobilization effort in late 2022, which saw a large number of Russian men fleeing the country to avoid conscription.
Despite these significant increases, the Kremlin has stated that no new mobilization is planned for the near future. Instead, the focus will be on recruiting volunteers through lucrative contracts. This approach suggests a shift in strategy, relying on incentivized voluntary enlistment rather than compulsory service, which has proven controversial and challenging to implement.
The expansion of the Russian military will require substantial financial resources. Putin's decree has instructed the government to allocate sufficient funds from the national budget to the Ministry of Defence to support the increase in personnel. This financial commitment underscores the Kremlin's determination to sustain its military operations despite the economic strains imposed by ongoing sanctions and the costs of the war in Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has yet to comment on the specifics of the new decree, but previous statements have linked the increase in troop numbers to "growing threats to the country" due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and NATO's continued expansion. The emphasis on recruiting contract soldiers rather than increasing conscription or initiating new mobilization efforts suggests a strategy aimed at maintaining a professional and motivated military force.
The decision to expand Russia's military comes amid heightened tensions with NATO, particularly over the alliance's military support for Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly issued warnings about the risks of a broader conflict if Ukraine is allowed to use longer-range weapons against targets inside Russian territory. The Russian leader has also suggested that such actions could escalate into a nuclear confrontation, a prospect that has kept the international community on high alert.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to provide advanced missile systems such as the U.S.-made ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles. These weapons could potentially strike deep within Russian territory, further intensifying the conflict. The Kremlin's military expansion could be seen as a countermeasure to these developments, positioning Russia to respond more robustly to any perceived escalation by NATO or Ukraine.
Putin's latest decree is consistent with a pattern of military buildup that has defined Russia's approach to the conflict in Ukraine. Before the invasion in 2022, the Russian military had just over 1 million personnel. The steady increase in troop numbers since then highlights the Kremlin's commitment to sustaining and potentially escalating its military efforts.
