Putin Orders Russian Military to Beef Up Forces by 137,000

Putin Orders Russian Military to Beef Up Forces by 137,000
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting via teleconference call, in Moscow, Russia, on Aug. 22, 2022. Pavel Byrkin/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
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MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered the Russian military to increase the number of troops by 137,000 to a total of 1.15 million amid Moscow’s military action in Ukraine.

Putin’s decree, which takes effect on Jan. 1, didn’t specify whether the military will beef up its ranks by drafting a bigger number of conscripts, increasing the number of volunteer soldiers, or using a combination of both.