Putin signs decree adding 15,500 troops to army
Vladimir Putin's order comes as both Russia and Ukraine suffer mounting casualties in the more than four-and-a-half-year war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree on Monday to augment the size of the Russian army by 15,500 troops, marking his fourth such order this year. The decree, issued in response to mounting casualties on both sides in the Ukraine war that has now surpassed four-and-a-half years, does not specify the reason for the troop increase. The authorized personnel strength of the Russian armed forces is set to reach 2,441,630 units, comprising 1,550,500 military personnel.
This is the fourth such increase, with a total of 47,860 soldiers added since March. The rapid pace of Russia's battlefield advances in Ukraine has slowed this year due to the extensive use of drones on the front lines, which has rendered swift, large-scale troop movements nearly impossible. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of preparing for another military mobilization, a claim Putin has dismissed as Ukrainian disinformation.
The last time Putin ordered a mobilization of reservists was in 2022, following a series of military setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine.
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