Russian troop expansion/ Russian military increase/ Russia enlarges military force/ Newslooks/ MOSCOW/ Morning Edition/ J. Mansour/ Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to increase its troop count by 180,000, bringing the total to 1.5 million, as the conflict in Ukraine surpasses two and a half years. This expansion is set to take effect on December 1, with funding allocated to support the boost in personnel. The decree follows earlier troop increases and highlights the continued strain of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Russia Troop Increase Quick Looks:
- Putin orders military to add 180,000 troops, bringing total forces to 1.5 million.
- New decree will take effect December 1, expanding total military personnel to nearly 2.4 million.
- Troop shortage cited as a key reason for Ukraine’s success in incursions into Russian territory.
- Russian forces continue to focus on eastern Ukraine, where they’ve made steady gains.
- Kremlin relies on volunteer soldiers as it avoids another mass reservist call-up.
Putin Orders Military Expansion by 180,000 Troops Amid Ukraine Conflict
Deep Look:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a new decree calling for a significant expansion of Russia’s military, adding 180,000 troops to the current force, as the country’s conflict in Ukraine drags into its third year. The decree, published on the government’s official website, mandates that the total number of Russian military personnel rise to nearly 2.4 million, with 1.5 million of those being active-duty troops. This increase is set to take effect on December 1, and the Russian government has been instructed to allocate the necessary funding to support the military’s growth.
This latest troop expansion comes less than a year after Putin last increased Russia’s military forces. In December 2023, he signed a decree that raised the number of military personnel to 2.2 million, including 1.32 million troops. The new order highlights the ongoing pressure on Russia’s military as it continues its “special military operation” in Ukraine, where the fighting has stretched on for over two and a half years.
As Russia intensifies its focus on the eastern front of Ukraine, its most capable units have been leading offensives in the region, achieving incremental but steady territorial gains. Putin has previously disclosed that nearly 700,000 Russian troops have been deployed in Ukraine, reflecting the scale of Moscow’s military commitment to the conflict.
One of the Kremlin’s primary challenges during the war has been maintaining sufficient troop levels. In the fall of 2022, the Russian government called up 300,000 reservists in response to Ukraine’s counteroffensives. Since then, authorities have sought to avoid another mass mobilization, instead turning to volunteer soldiers to bolster their ranks. These volunteers, drawn in by promises of relatively high wages, have become critical to filling the gaps in Russia’s military.
The Kremlin’s hesitation to call up more reservists is rooted in concerns about domestic unrest. The 2022 mobilization sparked widespread resistance, leading to hundreds of thousands of Russians fleeing the country to avoid being sent into combat. This reluctance to mobilize more civilians could partly explain why Russia has struggled to maintain control in areas such as its Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched a successful incursion in August 2024.
Ukraine’s advances in Russian-held territory, including the Kursk region, have been attributed to shortages in Russian military personnel. The Kremlin has been cautious about redeploying its forces from eastern Ukraine, preferring to send reinforcements from other parts of Russia to counter the Ukrainian incursions. The shortage of troops is seen as a critical vulnerability for Moscow, which continues to face a well-coordinated and determined Ukrainian resistance.
Despite these challenges, the Russian Defense Ministry reported some successes on Monday, stating that its forces had reclaimed two villages in the Kursk region from Ukrainian control. This suggests that while Moscow has faced setbacks, it remains committed to regaining lost territory and maintaining pressure on Ukrainian forces.
Looking forward, the boost in Russian troop numbers could provide the military with the additional manpower needed to sustain its operations both in Ukraine and within its borders. However, questions remain about how effective these reinforcements will be in turning the tide of the conflict, particularly as Ukrainian forces continue to mount counteroffensives and regain ground.
The war, which began in February 2022, has shown no signs of a swift resolution, and the increased Russian military presence suggests that the fighting could continue well into 2025. As Russia seeks to bolster its military strength, the conflict remains at the center of global attention, with both sides vying for control of strategic areas in eastern Ukraine and beyond.
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