Putin Orders Russian Army to Increase Troop Size to 1.55M
The president has raised the number of military personnel several times since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
On Monday, President Vladimir Putin issued an executive order to expand the Russian military by 15,500 soldiers, raising the total active-duty personnel count to 1.55 million. Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has increased the military's size multiple times, but the latest rise lacks an explanation. The Russian military's overall strength now totals 2,441,630 personnel, with 52,500 of these positions newly created this year, according to the news outlet Meduza.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of preparing for another mass mobilization of troops following the country's recent parliamentary elections. Zelensky stated that Russia has "in effect" begun the recruitment surge through "various means," although he did not specify the methods. Putin has countered these claims as "disinformation," and he last ordered a "partial" mobilization of reservists in September 2022.
Some military experts believe the Kremlin is unlikely to issue another draft order like in 2022, due to the ongoing partial mobilization. Others caution that another mass call-up of service-age men would face logistical issues and likely fail to address the current front-line challenges.
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