Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered another expansion of the country’s military, increasing the number of active-duty personnel more than four and a half years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A presidential decree published Monday on Russia’s official legal information portal sets the total size of the Russian armed forces at 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 active servicemen.
The order adds 15,500 active troops and marks the fourth increase of its kind this year. It comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to suffer heavy battlefield losses. The Kremlin did not provide a reason for the latest expansion.
Analysts had broadly anticipated that Russia could announce some form of mobilization after the State Duma election earlier this month. Such a move remains deeply unpopular among the Russian public.
United Russia, the country’s ruling party, secured a record number of seats in the vote, election officials said on Sept. 25. The result was widely expected in Russia’s tightly controlled political system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Russia has effectively begun a new wave of military mobilization. He also estimated that more than 8,000 North Korean troops are currently stationed on Russian territory.
“In addition, preparations are underway to deploy another 10,000 troops — they are being selected for training and subsequent deployment to Russia,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post.
“In return, Russia is paying, among other things, with technology: production of Shahed-type attack drones has been established in North Korea with Russian technical support,” he added.
During a meeting in the Chinese capital last year, Putin thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for sending troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine, describing them as having fought “courageously and heroically.”
A Russian attack on Kyiv on Monday killed two people and wounded 26 others, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who announced the casualties on Telegram.
