Russian leader Putin expands Russia's military forces once more.
Russia's relentless attacks on Ukrainian borders are taking a significant toll. In response, Russian leader Putin is beefing up Russia's military forces for the third time since 2022. By the end of this year, over 2.3 million individuals are set to enlist in the military.
Putin has decided to reinforce his military forces for the third time, with a goal of having over 2,389,000 people in service by December. This includes 1.5 million soldiers, as stated in a government decree.
In December 2022, Putin had already increased the military's target strength to 2.2 million, including 1.33 million soldiers. At the initiation of the 2022 conflict, Russia had only around 1 million soldiers. This new target represents a 50% increase in military strength.
Initially, the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow remained silent about the new troop numbers from the Kremlin. Previously, the department had pledged that the additional manpower would be supplied by volunteers. In September 2022, Putin ordered a partial mobilization due to several battle losses, leading to discontent and a surge of young men leaving Russia. Recently, many Russian regions have increased incentives for signing up as volunteers to counter this trend.
Russia and Ukraine have been at war for over two and a half years. Despite this, Moscow has failed to accomplish its declared war objectives. The Kremlin currently refuses to negotiate with Kyiv, citing the presence of Ukrainian troops on Russian territory. According to an estimate from British intelligence in May, over 465,000 Russian soldiers have already sustained injuries or fatalities in Ukraine.
The European Parliament's President might express concern over Russia's continuous military buildup, considering the increasing tensions with Ukraine. In light of Putin's military expansion plans, the President might advocate for stronger European Union defense policies.
