Putin orders increase in Russian army numbers by 15%

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Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree Friday to increase the number of military forces by 15%, a move the military said was due to “threats” related to the war in Ukraine.

The decree comes as both Ukraine and Russia seek to gain advantages on the ground and mobilize their forces in the conflict, which has seen little change on the front lines in recent months.

“The increase in the Army’s standing forces is due to the growing threats to our country associated with the Special Military Operation and the continued expansion of NATO,” the Army statement read.

He added that the number of serving soldiers will increase by about 170,000, bringing the total to about 1.32 million soldiers. He considered it an “appropriate” response to the “hostile activity of the NATO bloc”.

The statement stressed that there are no plans to make changes to the rules of compulsory conscription or to organize another mobilization campaign, an unpopular measure that caused a mass flight of men from Russia last year.

In recent months, however, the army has focused on recruitment drives with the promise of lucrative financial rewards, especially in remote areas.

But Kremlin critics consider this measure a “hidden” mobilization, as the recruitment of men into the army continues intermittently.

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