Putin increases Russia’s military staffing ceiling

Russia is once again expanding the authorized personnel strength of its Armed Forces.

On September 28, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the authorized number of positions in the Russian military to 2,441,630, of which 1,550,500 are designated for military personnel, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

The decree entered into force on the same day, while the Moscow government is expected to provide the additional funding required by the Ministry of Defense to implement it.

The new decision adds 15,500 military positions compared with the level established at the end of July. At that time, the authorized strength of the Armed Forces had been increased to 2,426,130 positions, including 1,535,000 for military personnel.

This is the fourth increase in the military staffing structure approved by the Kremlin this year. In March, the ceiling was set at 2,391,770 positions, including 1,502,640 for military personnel. In June, the number of military positions was raised to 1,510,000, and in July it reached 1,535,000.

In total, from March through the end of September, the authorized number of military positions increased by 47,860, surpassing the 1.55 million mark.

However, the increase in authorized positions does not mean that Russia already has 15,500 additional troops. Pavel Luzin, a researcher at the Saratoga Foundation, told The Insider that such decrees primarily establish the number of positions and the associated funding.

According to the expert, an increase in authorized positions may reflect the creation or reorganization of military structures and does not automatically indicate the actual number of personnel available. For example, an expansion announced in July was linked by the Kremlin to the formation of military construction units.

The latest increase comes as Moscow prepares its federal budget for the coming years and plans a significant rise in defense spending. According to budget documents reviewed by Reuters, Russia plans to allocate 17.1 trillion rubles for defense in 2027, approximately 27% more than the 13.5 trillion rubles previously planned. Around 16.6 trillion rubles is planned for 2028.

Also on September 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, referring to information from Ukrainian military intelligence, that Russia had begun an “additional mobilization.” According to Zelenskyy, Moscow is intensifying recruitment and attempting to attract more foreign citizens to its armed forces.

Zelenskyy also claimed that more than 8,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia and that Pyongyang is preparing to send another 10,000 soldiers, who would undergo training before a possible deployment.

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