Putin's Decree: Russian Military Personnel Set at 2.3 Million, How Formidable Is It?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again expanded his military strength amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. Through a presidential decree signed on Friday (13/06/2026), Putin has set the authorised number of Russian Armed Forces personnel at 2,399,130.
The document, published via the official Russian government portal, specifies that of this total, 1,510,000 are active military personnel.
This latest figure marks an increase of 7,360 personnel compared to the previous regulation in effect since March 2026, when the number of Russian military service members was set at 1,502,640.
Moscow’s move to bolster military strength comes as Russia’s military operations in Ukraine continue into their fifth year.
Previously, Putin revealed that more than 700,000 Russian soldiers are currently deployed in the ‘special military operation zone’, the term used by Moscow to refer to the war in Ukraine.
As troop numbers continue to rise, the Russian government has also begun preparing special schemes for veterans and personnel involved in the operation. According to Putin, the programme includes access to education, medical rehabilitation services, and job placement assistance after they complete their military service.
This policy demonstrates that the Kremlin is not only focusing on combat requirements on the battlefield but is also preparing long-term support for the hundreds of thousands of personnel who have been or are currently involved in Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.
Current Russian Military Strength
With the latest regulation signed by President Vladimir Putin, the authorised number of Russian Armed Forces personnel has reached 2,399,130. Of this figure, approximately 1.51 million are active military personnel. This puts Russia among the nations with the largest military strength in the world.
When compared to other major powers, Russia possesses a larger number of active personnel than the United States, which has approximately 1.3 million active military members. However, Russia still remains below China, which has maintained an active force of around 2 million personnel for many years.
India is also among the group of countries with the world’s largest militaries, with around 1.4 million active personnel. Meanwhile, North Korea is often cited as having one of the largest militaries based on its population proportion, with an estimated over 1 million active personnel and millions of reserves that can be mobilised at any time.
While troop numbers are a key indicator, modern military strength is not determined solely by the quantity of troops. Other factors, such as the quality of training, weaponry technology, defence industry capability, logistics systems, intelligence sophistication, and ammunition production capacity, are also crucial in determining the effectiveness of an armed force.