Russia’s Crime and Punishment
Foreign AffairsDec 24, 2022
The Facts
On Tuesday, following a decree from Russian Pres. Putin, defense minister Sergei Shoigu chaired a meeting with deputies and senior commanders in which he pledged to facilitate Russia's buildup of its armed forces to 1.5M troops by 2026.
In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision was a direct consequence of the West's so-called "proxy war" with Russia. He said: "It stems from the war that the countries of the collective West are waging... which includes indirect involvement in military activities and elements of an economic war, a financial war, legal warfare, steps that go beyond the legal field and so on."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
After losses of personnel and territory it had captured, Russia's plan to build up its army to 1.5M soldiers is further acknowledgment from Putin that this war isn't going as expected.
Pro-Russia narrative
Russia's buildup of troops is a direct consequence of the West's proxy war against Moscow. Had the West not carried out its crusade against Russia, while pumping Ukraine full of weapons and military aid, this situation could have been averted.
