Putin increased the number of army personnel to 2.2 million people – Kommersant

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to increase the number of army personnel by 170 thousand people. The total strength of the armed forces, according to decreewill now amount to 2,209,130 ​​people, of which 1,320,000 are military personnel. Ministry of Defense reportedwhich will increase the staff gradually, at the expense of contract workers; mobilization in connection with the decree is not planned.

Previous by decree Vladimir Putin dated August 25, 2022, the number of army personnel increased by 137 thousand people, the total number of armed forces was 2,039,758 people, of which 1,150,628 were military personnel. The decree was in effect from January 1, 2023.

The Russian Ministry of Defense explained that the increase in the strength of the armed forces is due to “increasing threats to our country associated with the conduct of a special military operation and the ongoing expansion of NATO.” “Under the current conditions, an additional increase in the combat strength and size of the armed forces is an adequate response to the aggressive activities of the NATO bloc,” says the press service of the military department.

Since 1996, the number of military personnel in the army and other troops has been established by presidential decrees. A total of nine such decrees have been published since 1997. The current decree of Vladimir Putin became the tenth.

The news will be updated.