Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree to increase the military forces by 15 percent, a move the army stated is due to "threats" related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The decree comes as both Ukraine and Russia seek territorial gains and are redeploying their forces in a conflict that has not seen significant changes along the front lines in recent months. This brings the total number of Russian military personnel to approximately 2,200,000, including 1,320,000 soldiers.
This is the second expansion of the army since 2018, following a previous reinforcement of 137,000 soldiers ordered by Putin in August 2022, which had raised the military numbers to around two million personnel and about 1,150,000 soldiers. The military statement indicated that "the increase in the permanent strength of the army is due to the rising threats to our country related to the special military operation and the ongoing expansion of NATO."
It added that the number of active-duty soldiers will increase by about 170,000, which it termed an "appropriate" response to the "hostile activities of the NATO bloc." The statement noted that there are no plans to change conscription rules or initiate another mobilization campaign, a measure that was unpopular and led to a mass exodus of men from Russia last year. Instead, the army has focused in recent months on recruitment campaigns with promises of substantial financial bonuses, particularly in remote areas.
However, critics of the Kremlin view this action as a form of "covert" mobilization, as the recruitment of men into the army continues sporadically.
What about NATO's movements? Joint NATO armed forces are being formed near Russia's borders, and additional air defense systems and offensive weapons are being deployed. The statement noted that NATO's tactical nuclear capabilities are increasing. The ministry concluded that the reinforcement of Russian forces is a proper response to the "aggressive activities of NATO."
