Putin orders Russian military to become second largest after China

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the number of Russian soldiers to increase by 180,000 troops to 1.5 million troops.

This would make the Russian military the second largest in the world after China.

In a decree published on the Kremlin's official website, Putin ordered the total number of armed forces to be increased to 2.38 million people, of which he said 1.5 million should be active servicemen.

According to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), such an increase would make Russia overtake the United States and India.

This is the third time the Kremlin leader has sought to expand the ranks of the military since sending his army to Ukraine in February 2022.

"We now have to form new military structures and units to ensure security in northwest Russia as Finland, with which we border, has joined the NATO bloc," said Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the chamber's defense committee. lower house of the Russian parliament.

Putin had previously ordered two official troop increases starting in 2022. Additionally, Russia mobilized over 300,000 soldiers in September and October 2022 in an exercise that saw tens of thousands of men flee the country.