Efforts to increase the size of the armed forces are part of a longer-term goal of the Russian Federation, which goes beyond the war in Ukraine, and also includes large-scale reforms in the Russian army, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
RF plans to increase troops up to 1.5 million people
They recalled that these reforms have been ongoing since the beginning of 2023 and include the restoration of the Moscow and Leningrad military districts, the formation of new army corps, combined arms armies, as well as mechanized and airborne divisions.
— As the Russian Armed Forces begin to create new divisions, army corps and armies, their personnel should grow in parallel, at least on paper. However, Russia's ability to properly implement these reforms and integrate the increase in personnel depends in part on the continuation of the war in Ukraine, — ISW notes.
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According to analysts, medium- and long-term constraints on the formation of armed forces and economic difficulties will continue to impair Russia's ability to support the increase in the size of the army and properly implement planned reforms.
ISW was referring to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's decree of September 16 to increase the size of the Russian Armed Forces to 1.5 million servicemen, which is 180 thousand more than the previous decree signed in December 2023.
This means that the Russian military leadership will increase efforts to recruit and form troops in order to reach this number already in December.
— This decree is not an indicator of a new wave of Russian mobilization, but rather testifies to the breadth of recruitment opportunities that the Russian military is currently using, — analysts concluded.
The full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for 937 days now.
The situation in the cities can be monitored on the interactive map of military operations in Ukraine and on the map of air raids in Ukraine.
