Putin increases Russian army headcount

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree to increase the headcount of the country’s army, as Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine enters its seventh month.

Russia’s army will have over two million people, including 1.15 million servicemen, starting January next year, according to the decree published on a government portal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting regarding the recent wildfire situation via video conference call at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow on August 24, 2022. The forest fires have devastated nearly 12,000 hectares in the Ryazan region with temperatures rising above 31 degrees Celsius, acting governor of the region Pavel Malkov said. Mikhail Klimentyev / Sputnik / AFP

Putin last set the army headcount in 2017 at around 1.9 million people with 1.01 million soldiers.

While the decree does not outline the reasons for the increase, it comes as Moscow’s troops are focused on capturing territories in eastern Ukraine.

The decree also comes at a time of soaring tensions between Moscow and Western countries that have sanctioned Russia over its operation in Ukraine.