In a significant move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to increase the authorized strength of Russia’s armed forces by 15,500 personnel, raising the total number of active-duty servicemen to 1,550,500. This decision elevates the total authorized military force to 2,441,630 personnel, reflecting a continued expansion of Russia’s military capacity.
This latest increase marks the fourth such expansion in 2026, following previous increases ordered in March, June, and July. These adjustments have cumulatively added tens of thousands of positions to Russia’s military establishment. Despite these changes, the new decree does not specify the reasons behind this increase in military personnel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Russia is intensifying its recruitment efforts through various channels. However, Russian officials have dismissed allegations that a new large-scale mobilization is impending. The recent decree increases the authorized size of the armed forces but does not announce any new mobilization plans.
Russia’s military expansion comes in the wake of a partial mobilization that was declared in September 2022. The ongoing adjustments to military personnel numbers underscore the strategic priorities of the Russian government amid complex geopolitical dynamics.