Why has Putin added 15,000 new soldiers to Russia’s army?

What the report says

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered another expansion of the armed forces, adding 15,500 personnel, according to an Al Jazeera report published on September 29, 2026. The decree sets the overall authorised size of the military at 2,441,630, including 1,550,500 service members. Al Jazeera notes that this is the fourth increase this year, bringing the total added since March to 47,860.

The order comes as Russia’s battlefield advances in Ukraine have slowed after more than four and a half years of war. The article says the Kremlin did not explain why the new troops are needed or how they will be recruited. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera described the move as a technical adjustment rather than an immediate shift on the front line, while others said it reflects longer-term planning as Moscow looks to sustain a drawn-out conflict and prepare for wider security concerns.

The report places the decision in the context of heavy losses, limited territorial gains and the increasing use of drones and long-range strikes by both sides. Ukraine has accused Russia of preparing another mobilisation, which Moscow denies. Al Jazeera also reported that fighting and aerial attacks continued, with casualties in Ukraine and renewed strikes on Kyiv and other regions.

Diplomatic efforts have resumed, including recent visits by US envoys to Moscow and Kyiv, but no breakthrough has been reached. The broader significance of the expansion is that it signals Russia’s intent to maintain and enlarge its military capacity even as ceasefire talks remain stalled.