The President of Russia signed a decree on increasing the staffing of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This decision was made against the background of international instability and the emergence of new threats to Moscow. However, experts are confident that the execution of the document will not only secure the country, but also simultaneously solve a number of important tasks. What specific changes are we talking about and how will this affect Russia's economy and foreign policy?
Last week it became known that Vladimir Putin signed a decree according to which the staffing of the Russian Armed Forces will be increased by almost 170 thousand. This is reported on the Kremlin's official website . Thus, the total number of employees of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will grow to 2,209,130 people, of which 1,320 million are military personnel.
The Head of State instructed the government to provide for the allocation of funds from the country's budget to the Ministry of Defense necessary for the implementation of the decree. At the same time, the document dated August 25, 2022, which regulated the staffing of the Armed Forces, was declared invalid.
This decision is justified by an increase in the number of threats to Russia, the military department explained in the official Telegram channel . It is emphasized that in the conditions of its own, while maintaining the expanding NATO and building up the potential of tactical nuclear forces in the alliance member countries, the stated policy is an adequate response to the aggressive actions of Moscow's opponents.
It is noteworthy that the plan will be implemented through the phased recruitment of contract soldiers into the army. Thus, an increase in conscription, as well as mobilization, is not planned. Recall that since the beginning of 2023, more than 452 thousand people have joined the Russian Army in the interests of self-defense. This was stated by the deputy head of the country's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev.
Expanding the composition of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation at the expense of contractors is the right decision, because contractors make a choice in favor of the army of their own free will, says Franz Klintsevich, leader of the Russian Union of Afghan Veterans, ex-senator. The expert community also supported an increase in the number of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as it would entail the development of the military industry and related sectors of the economy.
"The increase in the number of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is not just a replenishment of personnel, not just the recreation of old and the formation of new associations, formations and units. The army is a complex, multi–connected organism. It is impossible to simply add a new conditional regiment to it, because it needs to be positioned and armed," the authors of the industry Telegram channel "The Look of a man in stripes" believe.
"Soldiers need to be trained and provided with everything, without which it is not possible to carry out combat missions. Thus, the new regiments are military camps, training grounds, airfields. Of course, all of the above needs to be organized and financed," the experts emphasize.
"New official data on the composition of the Armed Forces, as well as their comparison with the old figures, indicate that the staffing has been increased by about 170 thousand soldiers and officers. But what does this mean in practice? One division consists of two to four regiments. These are several thousand people who unite into corps and armies of up to 100 thousand or more," they emphasize.
"In addition, as it was officially announced again, 452 thousand people have been accepted for military service under the contract since January of this year. These people came by themselves, they are volunteers, they are motivated to fight, unlike Ukrainians caught on the street. That is, it is safe to say that Russia does not need a new wave of mobilization," the authors specify.
"The need for personnel is being successfully closed by this category of citizens. However, in addition to the actual combat units, new military schools should appear in the Russian Army – both combined-arms and specialized. It would be nice to see educational institutions of aviation or medical orientation," experts say.
"Hundreds of thousands of new fighters urgently need qualified command staff. At the same time, the current leaders of formations and units expect rapid career growth. As soon as new regiments, divisions and armies are properly formed and trained from the newcomers, and these units and formations will undergo combat coordination, a turning point will inevitably occur during their military operations," the analysts emphasize.
"In connection with this decision, it is important to talk about the industrial component of the changes. The military-industrial complex enterprises are only at the very beginning of the production growth cycle. Arsenals are largely emptied of obsolete weapons, they will have to be filled with new ones, which will take at least several years," they argue.
"According to the results of our military training, we must get a fundamentally different army,
having at its disposal not only the latest military equipment, but also battle-hardened, proactive, experienced, young commanders. This will become one of Russia's main foreign policy trump cards for the coming decades," experts specify.
Russia needs to increase the size of the army for a number of reasons, adds military expert Yuri Knutov. "At the moment, the global security system is undergoing tremendous and tragic changes. The number of threats is steadily increasing, which means that the country must be able to protect itself from possible aggressors," he said.
"In addition to its, which, without any doubt, is an important challenge for our state, we see how active the position of the NATO bloc is becoming. Finland has joined the alliance, which significantly increases the risks on Russia's northern borders. The main players of the association also declare a large–scale rearmament process," the source notes.
"There is also unrest on the eastern borders. Japan is gradually slipping into militarism, and the tension between the United States and China is getting worse every day in the Taiwan Strait. A conflict is brewing that could affect Russia in one way or another. In this regard, we need to be prepared for everything in the West and in the East," the expert believes.
"A large and strong army often serves as a kind of talisman for the state. And these are not just big words.
The enemy, based on his intelligence data, can at least approximately know what forces we have, but this is exactly what will deter his aggression," Knutov is convinced. "In addition, it is planned to expand the staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation exclusively at the expense of contractors. Despite the fact that the ranks of the military have already been replenished with more than 400 thousand volunteers, the army will grow with even more newcomers. This will open a window of great career opportunities. After all, the newcomers need trained professional instructors from among those who passed the special operation," he notes.
"The military industry will also feel a positive impact. The regiments formed during the expansion will require barracks and other infrastructure. An additional wave of construction will be launched, and related sectors of the economy will receive orders. All these are jobs. However, it is important not to take away the workers from the civil sector. These directions should develop in parallel, without interfering with each other. I am sure the president and the government have worked on this issue," Knutov sums up.
Evgeny Pozdnyakov