Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the country’s military to increase its number of troops by 180,000 to a total of 1.5 million, as Moscow’s military action in Ukraine drags on for more than 2 ½ years
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the country’s military to increase its number of troops by 180,000 to a total of 1.5 million, as Moscow’s military action in Ukraine drags on for more than 2 ½ years.
Putin’s decree, published on the official government website, will take effect Dec. 1. It sets the overall number of Russian military personnel at nearly 2.4 million, including 1.5 million troops, and orders the government to provide the necessary funding.
The previous increase in Russian troop numbers came last December, when a decree by Putin set the total number of Russian military personnel at about 2.2 million, including 1.32 million troops.
The most capable Russian troops have been pressing an offensive in eastern Ukraine, where they have made incremental but steady gains in the past few months.
In June, Putin put the number of troops involved in what the Kremlin calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine at nearly 700,000.
After calling up 300,000 reservists in the face of Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the fall of 2022, Russian authorities have switched to filling the ranks of troops fighting in Ukraine with volunteer soldiers, who have been attracted by relatively high wages.
Many commentators have noted that the Kremlin has been reluctant to call more reservists, fearing domestic destabilization like what happened in 2022 when hundreds of thousands fled Russia to avoid being sent to combat.
The shortage of military personnel has been widely cited as a key reason behind the success of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region launched Aug. 6.
The Kremlin has sought to avoid the redeployment of troops from eastern Ukraine and relied on reinforcements from other areas to stem the Ukrainian incursion. The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday reported reclaiming control of two more villages in the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced an increase in troop numbers to 1.5 million amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine, raising concerns about the escalation of tensions in the region.
The decision to bolster Russian military presence comes as fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify. The conflict, which began in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea, has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people.
Putin’s move to increase troop numbers has been met with criticism from Western leaders, who have condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine and called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The United States and European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its involvement in the conflict, further straining relations between Moscow and the West.
The increase in troop numbers has raised fears of a potential full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warning of a possible “large-scale aggression” from Russia. The Ukrainian government has called on the international community to support its efforts to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In response to Putin’s announcement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called for de-escalation and dialogue to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of upholding international law and respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty.
The situation in Ukraine remains volatile, with the potential for further violence and instability in the region. The international community must work together to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and prevent a humanitarian crisis from unfolding.
As tensions continue to rise, it is crucial for all parties involved to prioritize diplomacy and dialogue in order to avoid further escalation and bloodshed. The people of Ukraine deserve peace and stability, and it is imperative that efforts are made to achieve a lasting resolution to the conflict.
