Putin signs decree adding 15,500 troops to Russian army

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday that expands the Russian army by 15,500 troops, marking the fourth such order this year. The decision comes amid increasing casualties in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has been ongoing for over four-and-a-half years. The decree did not provide a reason for the troop increase.

According to the decree, the authorized personnel strength of the Russian armed forces is set at 2,441,630 units, including 1,550,500 military personnel. Putin has previously signed orders to increase the army's size in March, June, and July, resulting in a combined increase of 47,860 soldiers since March. Since the beginning of the year, Russia's battlefield advances have slowed due to the widespread use of drones on the front, making large-scale troop movements nearly impossible.

Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of preparing for another military mobilization, a claim that Putin has dismissed as "disinformation". The last time Putin ordered a mobilization of reservists was in 2022, following a series of military setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine. On Monday, a fire broke out at a fireworks factory in Russia's western Yaroslavl region, killing at least 13 people.

The village of Kubrinsk, where the fire occurred, has been cut off from the electricity grid, and shops in the village were also closed. Over 100 emergency staff responded to the blaze, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.