By The Moscow Times | Created at 2026-09-29 08:55:16 | Updated at 2026-09-29 09:30:09
41 minutes ago
President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Monday that raises the strength of the Russian military by 15,500 personnel, bringing the total number of active-duty servicemen to 1.55 million.
Putin has raised the number of military personnel several times since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Monday’s order does not explain the reason for the latest increase. The Russian military’s total strength now stands at 2,441,630 personnel.
This year, the military has created 52,500 new positions, according to the exiled news outlet Meduza, the vast majority of which are active-duty military slots rather than civilian support staff.
Ukraine has accused Russia of preparing for a new mass mobilization of troops after holding parliamentary elections last week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Russia has “in effect” begun the process of surging troop recruitment “through various means,” though he did not provide details.
Putin, who last ordered a “partial” mobilization of reservists in September 2022, has dismissed the mobilization claims as “disinformation.”
Some military experts have argued that the Kremlin is unlikely to issue a new draft order like in 2022 due to the fact that “partial” mobilization remains in effect.
Others have cautioned that another mass call-up of service-age men would encounter logistical hurdles and fail to address challenges on the front line.
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