In a decree published on the Kremlin’s website, Putin ordered the overall size of the armed forces to be increased to 2.38 million people, of which he said 1.5 million should be active servicemen.
Putin since 2022 had previously ordered two official increases in the number of combat troops - by 137,000 and 170,000 respectively. In addition, Russia mobilised over 300,000 soldiers in September and October 2022 in an exercise which prompted tens of thousands of draft-age men to flee the country.
I can’t see him doing this without conscripting people from European Russia, something that he has been reluctant to do. He also has to keep the current army top up and which is supposed to be losing over 1,000 men a day - 400,000 or so in the next twelve months, making a total of almost 600,000.
As suggested on this board before: trade food and fuel to North Korea, for soldiers.
A piece I caught on the Beeb a week or two ago: Putin was pulling 100 men from a Merc outfit that has been fighting in an African client state, for redeployment to Ukraine.
Russia’s military casualties, the officials said, are approaching 300,000. The number includes as many as 120,000 deaths and 170,000 to 180,000 injured troops. The Russian numbers dwarf the Ukrainian figures, which the officials put at close to 70,000 killed and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.
More like a loss of 700k by the end of next year.
Not sure that includes the Wagner Group and prisoner losses.