Russian Military Expansion Continues
Since the Ukraine war began in February 2022, President Putin has approved the expansion of Russia's military for the third time. On Monday, he signed a decree to increase the number of soldiers by 180,000. This means that Russia's armed forces will consist of 1.5 million active servicemen as winter approaches. This move is a clear indication that Russia has no plans to de-escalate the conflict in the Donbass region. The total number of military personnel in Russia’s army, including all reserve forces, will exceed 2,300,000.
Previous Expansions
Putin had previously authorized two other expansions: an increase of 137,000 in August 2022 and another of 170,000 in December 2023. During the fall of 2022, when the much-publicized Ukrainian counteroffensive was in full swing, Putin called up approximately 300,000 reservists to join the fight.
A Message to NATO
This latest troop increase could also be interpreted as a message to NATO that Russia will not back down. This comes at a time when the US and UK are considering approving Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to attack inside Russian territory. The most capable Russian troops have been pressing an offensive in eastern Ukraine, where they have made steady gains in recent months. In June, Putin stated that nearly 700,000 troops were involved in what the Kremlin refers to as the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Second Largest Army in the World
This expansion will make Russia's army the second largest in the world in terms of manpower, surpassed only by China's PLA military. According to a decree published on the Kremlin's website, Putin ordered the overall size of the armed forces to be increased to 2.38 million people, of which 1.5 million should be active servicemen.
Impact of Ukraine's Kursk Offensive
This new expansion might be a response to Ukraine's Kursk offensive. Officials in Kiev had hoped that invading southern Russia would compel the relocation of regular troops from Donetsk to defend and reclaim villages on Russian soil. However, this strategy appears to have been unsuccessful. Moscow has denied being forced to relocate significant numbers of troops. A Russian counteroffensive is currently underway, confirmed to have intensified in recent days, while Russian troops in eastern Ukraine continue to make steady gains.
Bottom Line
This latest expansion of Russia's military signals a continued commitment to the conflict in Ukraine and a refusal to back down in the face of international pressure. It also positions Russia as having the second largest army in the world, second only to China. What are your thoughts on this development? Do you think it will escalate the conflict further or lead to a resolution? Share this article with your friends and join the discussion. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
