Moscow decided this week to expand its military capabilities, an indication of the overload the Russian military is facing in the third year of large-scale attacks against Ukraine.
As VOA’s Ricardo Marquina reports, analysts say the support for mobilization and other factors are pushing Russia to seek mercenaries from other countries.On September 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase the army by an additional 180 thousand troops, bringing the total number to 2.38 million soldiers, the second largest force in the world after China.
Kremlin officials say the decision was made because of a large-scale attack on Ukraine, but also in response to what Moscow says is a “threat” from NATO on its western flank.
Two years ago Russia announced a massive mobilization that brought 300 thousand troops to its army. But analysts say this time, Russian leaders should try a different path.
“The mobilization called by President Putin created a lot of discontent within Russia. Russia has recruited from other countries such as India, Nepal, Indonesia. What we know from public information is that these people are usually unemployed, who need financial incentives,” says Natia Seskuria of the Royal United Services Institute.
Reports by independent media outlets, including the Moscow Times and Kyiv Independent agencies, reveal that agents have promised relatively high salaries to people of the right age to fight from countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and Nepal. The Kremlin has never confirmed or denied these practices.
Reports say that those recruited abroad will not join mercenary forces such as the ‘Zimbagner’ group, but the regular Russian army.
“From their point of view, they must win the war and achieve their military objectives, their war goals. The best way to do this is to hire low-cost mercenaries from underdeveloped countries who are willing to fight and die alongside the Russians,” says Mark Hannah of the Institute for Global Affairs.
The number of casualties in this war continues to rise. The mobile phone Journal reports that the total number of soldiers and civilians killed or wounded on both sides has already reached one million. Western intelligence sources say 600 thousand of them are from the ranks of Russian forces.
