Putin increased the authorized strength of the armed forces for the fourth time this year

This was reported by “Agency” on Telegram. At the end of July, the authorized strength had already been increased by 25,000 military personnel and 2,000 civilian employees; at that time, the additional positions were allocated for the creation of military construction units — modern analogues of the Soviet construction battalions.

In mid-June, the total number of military personnel was increased by 7,700 people, and in March — by another 2,000. Before that, Putin increased the authorized strength of the armed forces in September 2024, when the increase amounted to 180,000 people, and in December 2023, when it amounted to 169,400 people.

In August 2022, Putin signed a decree increasing the size of the armed forces for the first time during the war and added 137,000 people. Before the war, the size of the armed forces was last changed in 2017, when the staffing level was reduced instead.

A representative of the Russian research group Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), who asked to remain anonymous, believes that the change in authorized strength may be related to the creation of new units and the appearance of new vacancies. The fourth decree of the year appeared against the backdrop of reports about a possible mobilization in Russia or a possible attack by Russia on European countries; Russian authorities have officially denied such plans on numerous occasions.