Putin Expands Russian Military to 1.55 Million as North Korea Deploys More Troops

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Monday increasing Russia's active military personnel by 15,500 to a total of 1,550,500, according to The Guardian. This marks the fourth army expansion this year and the seventh since the full-scale war began. The decree also raises the total size of the Russian Armed Forces, including civilian staff, to 2,441,630 people. Russia plans to spend 17.1 trillion rubles ($202.58 billion) on defense in 2027, about 27% more than initially budgeted, representing the largest defense budget since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Russia has begun additional mobilization, including plans to recruit more foreigners. He warned that over 8,000 North Korean troops are currently in Russia, with preparations underway to deploy another 10,000 soldiers. North Korea has sent between 14,000 and 15,000 troops to support Russia since 2024, mostly deployed in the Kursk region.