Putin orders boost to Russian army amid fears of new mobilisation
As the independent portal Meduza reported, Vladimir Putin has ordered an increase in the Russian army by 180,000 people. What does the Russian President’s decision mean? The Russians are worried that mass mobilisation into the military could commence again. Without it, the aggressor cannot make progress in Ukraine.
On 16 September, Vladimir Putin’s decree to increase the Russian army to 1.5 million soldiers was published on the Kremlin's website. According to Google Trends, on the same day, Russians began actively inquiring about this decision.
Users were interested, among other things, in whether the expansion of the Russian Federation's Armed Forces (AF) is related to plans for a new wave of mobilisation.
What does this look like in practice? From 1 December 2024, it will increase by 180,000 people — from 1.32 million to 1.5 million. The decree repeats similar documents from 2022 and 2023. During those years, the number of military personnel on budgetary payrolls increased by 12.5% and 14.7%, respectively (in 2024 - by 13.6%).
All three decrees are not directly related to the conscription of contract soldiers or mobilisation. The documents primarily regulate the amount to be allocated from the state treasury to maintain regular military positions.
Meanwhile, the army continues to grow, acquiring new contract soldiers. Most join the Russian Ground Forces and Airborne Forces and are directed to fight in Ukraine.
Plans to recruit new recruits are being sent from the Kremlin to the regions. When the regional authorities implement this plan, it will determine when (or if) a new wave of mobilisation will be announced.
Putin’s decision revealed. New information available
As highlighted by the Meduza portal, in 2024, the rate of hiring in the Russian army has significantly slowed. According to the budget implementation report, in the first quarter, 73,400 one-off federal benefits were paid out when signing military contracts. This corresponds to about 295,000 new recruits annually.
In response to the slowdown in recruitment, the Kremlin more than doubled the federal salary (from approximately £1,600 to approximately £3,300) upon signing the agreement. Many regions also increased payments for soldiers due to difficulties in achieving the plan.
