War in Ukraine today: latest news, 29 September 2026 (photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on September 28 to increase Russia's armed forces personnel to 2,441,630, according to state media citing the state legal acts website. This decision comes amid Russia's struggles on the Ukrainian front, coupled with a massive 2027 military budget, reports of imminent mobilization, and heightened hybrid aggression in Europe.

Despite the increase of around 15,500 personnel compared to July 2026 figures, this is the fourth incremental raise announced this year. The total includes 1,550,500 active service members. On September 29, Reuters reported that Moscow was boosting defense spending to a record 17.1 trillion rubles ($202.58 billion) for 2027, a 27% increase over previous projections.

While Russia continues to recruit tens of thousands of contract soldiers each month for its war efforts, the pace of territorial gains remains low. Kyiv forecasts that Moscow will launch a peripheral mobilization of around 300,000 personnel in 2026 and 2027. President Volodymyr Zelensky cautioned that Russia had already initiated mobilization following the parliamentary elections, with troops being recruited through various means.