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NBCSep 18
Putin Orders Russian Military to Boost Numbers by 180K
Above: Russian servicemen march during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow on May 9, 2024. Image copyright: Cao Yang/Xinhua News Agency/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin ordered his country's military to expand troop numbers by 180K on Monday — taking the number of Russian military personnel to about 2.4M, including 1.5M combat troops.
The presidential decree, which goes into effect in December, is the third time Putin has expanded the size of Russia's military since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict more than two-and-a-half years ago. When in place, it will make Russia's military the second largest in the world behind China.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Putin's increase in troop numbers comes after his invasion of Ukraine dragged into its second-and-a-half year without the result he had hoped to achieve. It also comes as Ukraine's Kursk offensive exposed Russian vulnerabilities.
Pro-Russia narrative
The size of Russia's military has expanded in response to the growing size of hostile actions and threats made against Russia by the West. Not only is Russia facing Western-backed hostilities on its western borders, but there's growing instability in Russia's east.