Russia is planning a massive expansion of its armed forces by the end of 2026, increasing the size of its army by 30% to 1,5 million troops. This is causing concern in NATO, as the head of Finland's military intelligence, Pekka Turunen, told Reuters in an interview.
According to Turunen, these plans pose a serious threat to the Alliance, especially if they are implemented in full. "This is a challenge that must be addressed. We must remain vigilant, because Russia can achieve these goals even by 2030," he stressed.
Finnish military intelligence also notes that the Kremlin plans to increase the presence of troops on the borders with Finland. In particular, a new military corps will appear in Karelia, and existing units on the Kola Peninsula and near St. Petersburg will be expanded. The number of Russian troops in these regions could double or even triple.
Russia's defense minister has said the country must be prepared for a possible military confrontation with NATO in Europe within the next decade, while Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to insist that Western countries are using the topic of the Russian threat to manipulate their audiences.
According to experts, such steps by Russia are a challenge for NATO, which requires increased defensive measures, especially in border areas.
In December 2024, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the number of Russian military personnel is planned to be increased to 1,5 million. The Russian minister justifies this decision by allegedly increasing external threats to Russia. Among the reasons, in particular, are Finland's accession to NATO, as well as Sweden's preparations for membership in the Alliance.
It should be noted that the Russian president previously increased the size of the Russian army in December 2023, when the share of military personnel was 1,32 million people. Before the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the number of military personnel in the Russian Armed Forces barely exceeded 1 million people.