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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered another increase in the authorized
size of Russia’s armed forces, adding 15,500 active-duty military personnel as the
war in Ukraine continues and Moscow faces sustained military pressure.
The new decree raises the authorized strength of the Russian Armed Forces to
2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 active military personnel. It is the fourth
increase ordered by Putin in 2026, adding to a broader expansion of Russia’s
military structure during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The decision comes at a particularly sensitive moment. Ukraine continues to face
Russian missile and drone attacks, while both countries are dealing with
significant military losses and the continuing demands of a prolonged conflict.
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that
Russia is preparing for additional recruitment and that North Korea could send
another 10,000 troops to support Moscow.
Putin Increases Russia’s Military Personnel
The latest presidential decree increases the authorized number of Russian military
personnel by 15,500. Under the new order, the overall authorized strength of the
Russian armed forces stands at more than 2.44 million people, including 1.55
million active-duty military personnel.
The measure follows previous increases earlier in 2026. Putin signed similar
decrees in March, June and July, meaning the latest decision is the fourth such
increase this year. The combined increases since March amount to 47,860
personnel.
The Kremlin has not publicly provided a specific explanation for why the latest
increase was ordered.
An increase in the authorized size of the military does not automatically mean that
Russia has announced a new nationwide mobilization. However, the decision is
being closely watched because it comes amid continued fighting in Ukraine and
renewed debate over Russia’s ability to maintain its military manpower.
Russia has relied on recruitment, financial incentives and other methods to
maintain the size of its forces during the war. Ukraine has repeatedly warned that
Moscow could eventually seek a larger mobilization if recruitment does not
provide enough personnel.
Zelenskyy Warns of Additional Russian Mobilization
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on September 28 that Russia had
effectively begun another phase of military recruitment.
According to Zelenskyy, Moscow is increasing the number of people being
recruited through different methods and is also seeking greater participation from
foreign personnel.
His comments came shortly after Russia’s latest military expansion decree, adding
to concerns in Ukraine about Moscow’s long-term military strategy.
Zelenskyy has previously accused Russia of preparing for another large-scale
mobilization. Moscow has rejected such claims, with Russian officials describing
Ukrainian warnings about mobilization as misleading or politically motivated.
The latest developments therefore involve two separate issues: Russia’s formal
decision to increase its authorized military strength and Ukraine’s assessment that
Moscow is expanding recruitment.
The first is documented by the presidential decree. The second is based on
statements and assessments from Ukrainian officials.
North Korea Could Send Another 10,000 Troops
One of the most significant claims made by Zelenskyy concerns Russia’s military
cooperation with North Korea.
The Ukrainian president said more than 8,000 North Korean troops are currently
on Russian territory. He added that preparations are underway for another 10,000
North Korean personnel to be selected, trained and subsequently deployed to
Russia.
Zelenskyy also claimed that Russia is providing technological assistance to North
Korea in exchange for military support. According to his statement, North Korea
has begun producing Shahed-type attack drones with Russian technical
assistance.
These claims have not been independently confirmed in full, but they fit into a
broader pattern of growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Reuters reported that Ukraine and South Korea have estimated that North Korea
has sent approximately 14,000 to 15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024, with
many of them deployed in or around Russia’s Kursk region.
North Korea has also been reported to provide Russia with artillery ammunition
and various missile and rocket systems.
The potential arrival of another 10,000 troops would therefore represent a
significant development in the military relationship between Russia and North
Korea.
Why North Korean Troops Matter
North Korea’s involvement has become one of the most important international
dimensions of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The deployment of North Korean personnel means that the conflict is no longer
only a confrontation between Russian and Ukrainian forces. It also involves a wider
network of military cooperation involving Moscow and Pyongyang.
For Russia, foreign military personnel could help ease pressure on its own
manpower resources. For North Korea, closer cooperation with Russia could
provide economic, military and technological benefits.
The exact nature and scale of North Korean involvement remain difficult to
independently verify because both Moscow and Pyongyang tightly control
information about their military cooperation.
However, Ukrainian and South Korean officials have repeatedly reported North
Korean involvement in the conflict.
The possibility of another deployment has therefore attracted attention from
governments across Europe and Asia.
Russia and North Korea Expand Military Cooperation
Russia and North Korea have strengthened their relationship significantly since the
beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
Putin has publicly thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for supporting Russia.
During a meeting in China last year, Putin praised North Korean troops who had
fought alongside Russian forces, describing their actions in highly favorable terms.
The two governments have also expanded broader security and defense
cooperation.
North Korea has been accused by Ukraine and Western governments of providing
Russia with large quantities of ammunition and military equipment. Moscow and
Pyongyang have defended their growing relationship while rejecting various
accusations concerning the details of their military cooperation.
The reported transfer of technology in the opposite direction could become
increasingly important.
If Russia is helping North Korea improve its drone production capabilities, the
partnership could have consequences beyond the battlefield in Ukraine.
South Korea and Ukraine Face a Diplomatic Dispute
Zelenskyy’s latest comments also come amid a diplomatic disagreement between
Ukraine and South Korea.
The dispute followed Ukraine’s transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to
South Korea.
The soldiers had been captured after taking part in Russia’s war against Ukraine
and later expressed a desire to move to South Korea.
Seoul objected after Zelenskyy publicly discussed the transfer, saying that the
arrangement had been intended to remain confidential. Ukrainian officials have
disputed South Korea’s characterization of the agreement.
The disagreement has added another layer to an already complicated relationship.
South Korea has provided humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine but has
historically maintained restrictions on supplying lethal weapons directly to
countries involved in active conflicts.
At the same time, Seoul has been closely monitoring North Korea’s military
cooperation with Russia because of its potential implications for security on the
Korean Peninsula.
Russian Attacks Continue as Diplomatic Efforts Stall
The latest military expansion also comes as Russian attacks against Ukrainian
cities continue.
In Kyiv, a wave of Russian attacks on Monday resulted in civilian casualties and
injuries, according to local Ukrainian authorities. The city has faced repeated
missile and drone attacks as Russia continues its long-range campaign against
targets across Ukraine.
The continuing use of drones and missiles has become a defining feature of the
conflict.
Both Russia and Ukraine have increasingly relied on long-range weapons,
unmanned aerial systems and precision strikes against military and infrastructure
targets.
The expansion of Russia’s authorized military personnel comes against this
background of sustained military activity.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a negotiated settlement have
faced difficulties.
Talks involving Russia, Ukraine and international partners have struggled to
produce a lasting ceasefire agreement, while the two sides continue to disagree
over territory, security guarantees and the future political status of occupied areas.
What Does Putin’s Army Expansion Mean?
The new decree raises important questions about Russia’s military strategy.
One possibility is that Moscow wants to maintain a larger pool of personnel as the
war continues. Another is that Russia is seeking to strengthen its armed forces for
longer-term national security planning.
However, the decree itself does not provide a detailed explanation of the Kremlin’s
intentions.
It is therefore important to distinguish between an increase in the authorized
military structure and an official announcement of mass mobilization.
The two are not necessarily the same.
Russia can increase its authorized military strength while using different
recruitment mechanisms rather than immediately announcing a nationwide call-
up.
Nevertheless, the repeated increases during 2026 indicate that military manpower
remains an important issue for Moscow.
A Larger Military and Higher Defense Demands
Expanding military personnel also has financial consequences.
A larger armed force requires additional spending on salaries, housing, training,
equipment, transportation, healthcare and other forms of military support.
Russia has already increased defense-related spending significantly during the
war, placing greater emphasis on military production and national security.
The economic consequences of maintaining a large military establishment are
likely to remain an important issue for Russia as the conflict continues.
Higher military spending can support weapons production and recruitment, but it
can also increase pressure on government finances and other parts of the
economy.
For investors and businesses watching geopolitical risk, Russia’s military expansion
is therefore relevant beyond the battlefield.
Energy markets, international trade, sanctions, defense industries and global
security policies can all be affected by developments in the Russia-Ukraine
conflict.
What Happens Next?
The immediate question is whether Russia’s latest military expansion will be
followed by a larger recruitment campaign.
Ukraine believes that Moscow is already increasing recruitment efforts, while
Russia has rejected claims that it is preparing a new nationwide mobilization.
Another major question is whether North Korea will actually send the additional
10,000 troops described by Zelenskyy.
If the deployment takes place, it could further deepen the military partnership
between Moscow and Pyongyang and increase international concerns about the
spread of the Ukraine conflict.
The situation also highlights how the war has developed into a broader geopolitical
confrontation involving countries far beyond Russia and Ukraine.
For now, Putin’s latest decree confirms that Russia is increasing the authorized size
of its armed forces, while Zelenskyy’s warning points to the possibility of further
foreign military involvement.
As fighting continues and diplomatic efforts remain uncertain, developments
involving Russia’s military manpower, North Korean troops, defense spending and
international security cooperation will remain closely watched.
The coming weeks could provide a clearer indication of whether the latest Russian
military expansion is primarily an administrative increase in authorized strength
or part of a broader effort to build additional forces for the continuing war.
