Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree ordering a substantial increase in the country’s military personnel, bringing the total number of active servicemen to 1.5 million. This expansion, announced on Monday, would propel Russia’s military to become the second largest in the world, surpassing the United States and India, and trailing only behind China’s 2 million active duty personnel.
The move is part of Putin’s broader plan to overhaul the Russian armed forces, citing the need to match the current international situation and the behavior of former foreign partners. According to Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of Russia’s lower house of parliament’s defense committee, the increase is necessary to ensure security in the northwest region, particularly since Finland has joined NATO. This development marks the third time Putin has expanded the army’s ranks since sending troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
Previous expansions included increases of 137,000 and 170,000 troops, as well as the mobilization of over 300,000 soldiers in September and October 2022. Despite sustaining heavy battlefield losses alongside Ukrainian forces, Russia has successfully recruited volunteers to fight in Ukraine. However, the exact size of these losses remains a military secret. The Kremlin has assured that no new mobilization is planned, and the focus will remain on recruiting volunteers to fight in Ukraine.
Experts have raised concerns about Moscow’s ability to fund the increased military spending. Dara Massicot, a Russian military expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, questioned whether the Kremlin is prepared to boost the defense budget to sustain procurement and meet the expanded troop requirements. Massicot suggested that Moscow may need to expand the draft size or allow more women to serve in the military to meet this goal.
The international community is closely watching the implications of this expansion on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. As tensions continue to rise, the Russian military buildup is likely to have significant geopolitical consequences, particularly in the context of NATO’s expansion and the ongoing tensions between Russia and Western nations.
The Russian government’s decision to increase its military personnel reflects the country’s growing assertiveness on the global stage and its determination to maintain its influence in the region. However, the financial and strategic implications of this expansion remain uncertain, and experts will be monitoring the situation closely in the coming months.
