Putin orders fourth Russian army expansion this year as Ukraine war losses mount

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a fourth expansion of the armed forces this year, raising the authorized strength to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel, amid heavy losses in the Ukraine war. The latest decree adds 15,500 military personnel, following similar orders in March, June, and July, bringing the total increase since March to 47,860. The Kremlin has not cited a reason, though Russian advances in eastern Ukraine have slowed due to drone warfare and Ukrainian breakthroughs. The expansion has revived speculation about a potential large-scale mobilisation, which Putin has denied. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Russia has already begun additional recruitment, including plans for 10,000 more North Korean soldiers, with over 8,000 already in Russia.