How many military personnel are there in Russia? Official figures and global ranking
The official answer: 1.5 million active soldiers since December 2024
In brief March 2026 figures
Following Putin’s latest decree effective March 4, 2026, Russia officially has 1,502,640 active military personnel for a total of 2,391,770 people in the armed forces (including civilians and reservists). It is the world’s 2nd largest army by personnel, behind China. Defense budget 2025: over €119 billion, or more than 6% of Russian GDP.
How many military personnel in Russia? Since the presidential decree that came into effect on March 4, 2026, the official answer is 1,502,640 active military personnel for a total of 2,391,770 people in the Russian armed forces, including civilians and reservists. These figures make Russia the 2nd largest military power in the world by number of soldiers, behind China.
But behind these official figures lies a more complex reality. Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has increased his army’s personnel three times in a row, from one million soldiers to 1.5 million in three years. An accelerated militarization whose long-term viability experts debate.
Evolution of Russian personnel since the invasion of Ukraine
The Russian army has continuously increased its personnel since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. Here are the details of this unprecedented expansion since the end of the Cold War.
| Date | Active military personnel | Total forces | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-2022 | ~1,000,000 | ~2,000,000 | Period of relative stability |
| August 2022 | 1 150 000 | 2 000 000 | +137,000 after Ukraine invasion |
| December 2023 | 1 320 000 | 2 209 130 | +170,000 (Putin decree) |
| December 2024 | 1 500 000 | 2 389 130 | +180,000 (3rd increase) |
| March 2026 | 1 502 640 | 2 391 770 | Latest decree in force |
Sources: Official Russian presidential decrees | Euronews Sept. 2024 | Business AM March 2026 | Radio-Canada Dec. 2023.
Russia in the global ranking
Here is how the main military powers rank in terms of active personnel and defense budget in 2025.
| Countries | Active military personnel | Defense budget | % of GDP |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | ~2,000,000 | ~$230 billion | 1,7% |
| Russia | 1 502 640 | ~€119 billion | >6% |
| USA | 1 320 000 | $886 billion | 3,5% |
| India | 1 430 000 | ~$75 billion | 2,4% |
| France | ~205,000 | €43.9 billion | 2% |
Sources: Global Firepower 2025 | SIPRI 2024 | armees.com.
What the official figures do not say
Official personnel vs actual personnel
Russian presidential decrees set a ceiling on personnel, not an actual level. IFRI highlights in its 2024 study that Russian losses in Ukraine, estimated between 150,000 and 300,000 dead and wounded depending on sources, create a permanent deficit that new recruits struggle to fully fill.
A recruitment under high tension
To achieve its goals, the Kremlin has launched massive recruitment campaigns with very high salaries and bonuses. In 2025, nearly 410,000 people volunteered, most under 40 years old. Moscow also organizes two annual conscription campaigns: 160,000 recruits in spring 2025 and 135,000 in autumn 2025.
A record war budget: over 6% of GDP
To finance this expansion, Russia is dedicating nearly 119 billion euros to its defense in 2025, more than 6% of its GDP and 40% of the federal budget. This is the highest level since the fall of the USSR in 1991. For comparison, France dedicates 2% of its GDP to defense.
FAQ: The most frequently asked questions
How many Russian soldiers are fighting in Ukraine?
In June 2024, Putin stated that nearly 700,000 military personnel were engaged in Ukraine, about half of the total active forces. This figure includes regular soldiers, National Guard forces, mercenaries, and forces from separatist republics.
Can Russia really reach 1.5 million soldiers?
Experts are cautious. The Kremlin's financial resources and political will are real, but losses in Ukraine, demographic aging, and competition with the civilian sector make the goal very ambitious. Many analysts believe the actual personnel numbers are significantly lower than the official figures.
Does Russia have the largest nuclear arsenal in the world?
Yes. Regardless of its conventional forces, Russia holds the largest nuclear arsenal in the world with about 6,255 nuclear warheads, including 1,588 operationally deployed according to SIPRI's 2024 estimates. This nuclear superiority remains the foundation of Russia's strategic power.
Conclusion
How many military personnel are there in Russia? Since the decree of March 4, 2026, the official number is 1,502,640 active military personnel for a total of 2,391,770 people in the armed forces. It is the 2nd largest military in the world by personnel after China, the result of three successive increases since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. With a defense budget exceeding 6% of GDP in 2025, Russia has made military power its top priority.
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