Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to significantly expand the armed forces. This decision has already raised many questions, in particular about the true reasons behind this step and what plans the Kremlin has for the future.
How many military personnel are there in Russia now?
According to Putin’s new decree, the staff strength of the Russian Armed Forces will increase to an impressive 2,389,000 personnel. Of these, 1.5 million will be military personnel. For comparison, in December 2023, the army’s strength was slightly over 2.2 million personnel. At that time, the number of military personnel increased to 1,320,000.
This is not the first time that the Kremlin is attempting to increase its military power. The Russian Ministry of Defense justifies this step with the “heightened threats” from NATO. So the question arises: Is Russia preparing for an escalation of conflicts, and what does this mean for Ukraine and the world?
Putin’s new goal
Recently, another piece of news has caught attention. Putin has issued an order to push Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region by October 1, 2024. But the interesting part is that Russian forces are not planning to redeploy from key positions in the Donetsk region, where fierce battles are ongoing.
This indicates that the Kremlin continues to focus on the Donetsk direction, where Russians are not easing pressure on Ukrainian positions. This is especially true for areas like Pokrovsk and Torez. At the same time, a “mix” of troops from other fronts is being sent to the Kursk region, but not from Donetsk. This may indicate a lack of reserves in Russia.
Why is Putin Insisting on the Donetsk Region?
Perhaps for Putin, success in the Donetsk region is a priority, even more important than control over the Kursk region. In restricted conditions and with a shortage of available reserves, the Kremlin is trying to maintain the front and carry out offensive actions, but the opportunities for maneuvering are becoming increasingly limited.
Putin continues to increase military strength, but at the same time faces challenges that increasingly impact Kremlin’s strategic decisions. How this will affect the situation in Ukraine will be shown over time, but the expansion of Russia’s army size is a clear signal of intentions to continue aggression and not retreat.
