Russia has ordered its fourth military expansion of the year, adding 15,500 personnel and bringing the total size of its armed forces to about 2.4 million people.
Under a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on Monday, the Russian military will include about 1.5 million service personnel within that overall total.
Putin did not give a reason for the increase.
Earlier this year, Ukraine said it aimed to wound or kill up to 50,000 Russian troops a month in an effort to reduce Russia’s battlefield strength.
According to available estimates, Russia is currently able to recruit about 30,000 new personnel each month.
In mid-September, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had been told that Ukraine was inflicting about 27,000 Russian casualties a month.
That has fuelled fears that Russia could announce a large-scale mobilisation, although the Kremlin has so far denied that such a move is imminent.
Politico reported in late August that about 100,000 Russians had fled to Georgia in the space of a week because they feared being conscripted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X on Monday that the current expansion amounted in practice to the start of a broader mobilisation.
He said Russia was increasing recruitment through several channels and was also planning to enlist more foreign nationals. He also urged governments in countries where Russia is recruiting to act to stop it.
According to the Ukrainian President,Kyiv has information indicating that 8,000 North Korean troops are in Russia and that there are plans to add 10,000 more.
