Putin signs decree to add 170,000 troops to its armed forces as war with Ukraine takes toll

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree allowing the army to boost its troop numbers by 15 per cent. Putin's signing of the decree comes in the backdrop of the war with Ukraine, which has continued for more than 21 months now, causing a significant shortage in the army ranks. 

According to estimates, the move is expected to increase the number of serving army soldiers by at least 170,000, which is being touted as an "adequate" response to the "aggressive activity of the NATO bloc".

"The increase in the full-time strength of the army is due to growing threats to our country linked with the special military operation and the continuing expansion of NATO," the army said.

While the numbers are being boosted, the army made it clear that it was not planning to make changes to conscription or another mobilisation drive. Last year, the conscription drive led to an exodus of men out of Russia. 

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A rut in the middle

Both sides are running low on personnel as the war takes its toll. The replenishment in the ranks is expected to provide the booster shot to the Russian side whose front lines have barely moved in recent months.  

Meanwhile, Ukraine has struggled to retake territory from Russia, despite launching a much-publicised counter-offensive in June, after stocking on Western weapons. 

In recent days, Moscow has tried to intensify the assaults by using a record number of drones, according to Kyiv. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed it had intercepted 71 Iranian-made drones across six regions of the country, including the capital Kyiv, earlier this week. 

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The Air Force said: "Anti-aircraft missile troops, tactical aviation, mobile fire groups, and electronic warfare units were involved in repelling the air attack." As per the Air Force, a Kh-59 guided missile was also destroyed in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The increase in intensity comes after the weather improved, following powerful storms across southern Ukraine and Russia. 

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