Putin increases army strength to 1.5 million troops
Putin increases size of his army (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree to increase the total strength of the Russian military to 2.39 million personnel. Of this number, active military personnel will grow to 1.5 million, according to official Russian government sources.
As a result, starting from December 1, 2024, the size of the army will expand by 180,000 soldiers.
Putin also ordered the Russian Ministry of Defense to allocate additional funds from the state budget to support this increase in military personnel.
The last time Putin ordered an expansion of the army was in December 2023, when it was increased by 170,000 soldiers.
Russian army losses in Ukraine
Russia has been waging a full-scale war against Ukraine since February 24, 2024. The war is supported by 75% of respondents, which is the vast majority of Russians, according to data from the Levada Center.
According to British intelligence, Russia’s daily losses (killed and wounded) in Ukraine surged in August 2024 to 1,187 personnel per day. Since the start of the war, Russian losses have totaled 610,000.
The rise in casualties in August 2024 is linked to Ukraine’s operation near Kursk and the continued pressure in the Pokrovsk direction. The UK Ministry of Defense said that Russia continues to rely on sheer numbers to offset its shortage of manpower and equipment.
