Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree increasing the size of the country’s armed forces by 15,500 personnel, marking the fourth such increase this year.
The decree, signed on Monday, September 28, 2026, comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to suffer heavy casualties in the ongoing war, which has lasted more than four and a half years.
The decree did not provide a reason for the latest increase.
According to the document, the authorised strength of the Russian armed forces will rise to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel.
Putin had previously signed decrees increasing the size of the armed forces in March, June and July. The combined increases since March amount to 47,860 additional military personnel.
Russia’s advances on the battlefield have slowed this year, with widespread drone use making rapid, large-scale troop movements increasingly difficult.
Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of preparing for another mobilisation, but Putin has dismissed such claims as Ukrainian “disinformation.”
The Russian president last ordered a mobilisation of reservists in 2022, following a series of military setbacks in Ukraine.
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