PUTIN ORDERS MAJOR MILITARY EXPANSION AMID ONGOING CONFLICT

Tue 17 September 2024:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a significant expansion of the country’s military, increasing troop numbers by 180,000 to reach a total of 1.5 million active servicemen. This increase will make Russia’s military the second-largest in the world, behind China, which has just over 2 million active personnel, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

The official decree, published on the government’s website, will come into effect on December 1 and will expand the overall size of the Russian armed forces to 2.38 million. This marks the third time Putin has increased military ranks since the start of the Ukraine invasion in 2022. With this expansion, Russia would surpass the United States and India in the number of active combat soldiers.

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Challenges Amid Ongoing Conflict

The order comes as Russian forces continue to make gradual advances in eastern Ukraine. Putin previously stated in June that nearly 700,000 troops were involved in the Ukraine conflict. After calling up 300,000 reservists in 2022, Russia has shifted towards recruiting volunteer soldiers, offering attractive wages.

Dara Massicot, a military expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, raised doubts about whether Moscow can afford the expanded force. “There are ways to staff a standing 1.5 million force, but the Kremlin will not like them,” Massicot said, questioning if Russia could balance its defense budget while meeting the increased manpower needs.

Potential Draft Expansion and Recruitment Concerns

Massicot also suggested that Russia may need to consider unpopular measures, such as expanding the draft or allowing more women to serve in the military, to meet the new personnel goal. “Look for signs that this is a real initiative to recruit and expand, and not a kind of show to intimidate others,” she added, pointing out that while the volunteer recruitment method has worked, it is facing strain.

Commentators have noted that the Kremlin has been hesitant to call up more reservists, fearing a repeat of 2022 when hundreds of thousands of Russians fled to avoid being sent to the front lines. Although Russia’s population is more than three times that of Ukraine, both sides have endured heavy losses, the full scale of which remains a state secret.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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