ISW: Putin’s August 25 decree to increase the size of the Russian military is unlikely to generate significant combat power

According to the latest update by Institute for the Study of War, Putinʼs decree to increase the army indicates that he does not want to conduct a mass mobilization: “The announcement of a relatively modest (but likely still unachievable) target increase in final strength strongly suggests that Putin remains determined to avoid full mobilization. The Kremlin is unlikely to generate sufficient forces to reach an end strength of over 1,150,000 soldiers as the decree stipulates”.

It is emphasized there that Russia has never had an army of such size, which is fixed in the documents. Putin is likely to try to increase the number during the fall conscription cycle in October 2022, which should bring in about 130,000 men.