How are Russians reacting to the expansion of the Russian army, and why are they increasingly criticizing state spending on the war? We explore these questions in an article for Ukrainian News.

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Russia’s decision to expand the authorized strength of its armed forces has raised fears of a new recruitment drive and mobilization. Under a decree signed by Vladimir Putin on September 28, 2026, the authorized strength of Russia’s Armed Forces is to reach 2.44 million personnel, including 1.55 million military personnel. On regional social media, Russians question the official explanation that the increase is intended to fill existing staffing needs and criticize state spending on the war amid the rising cost of living.

The new decree increases the authorized number of military personnel in Russia’s armed forces by 15,500 compared with the previous decision. This is the fourth change to the army’s authorized strength in 2026. In July, the authorized headcount was also expanded by 27,000 positions, 25,000 of which were allocated to military personnel.

According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia had recruited around 195,000 contract soldiers by early July, against an annual target of 409,000.

At the same time, Russian officials have publicly claimed that the army’s personnel needs have been met. Dmitry Medvedev, for example, said that around 200,000 Russians had signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense in the first six months of 2026.

According to monitoring conducted by the NGO Join Ukraine, Russians view the expansion of the army’s authorized strength as a possible signal of a new recruitment drive and mobilization. In regional online communities, users question the authorities’ explanation that the move is simply intended to fill existing vacancies. They also try to determine how many of the new positions are intended for military personnel and how many for civilian and support staff. The monitoring covered 536 regional communities on VKontakte and 428 Telegram channels across Russia and the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine between September 28 and October 4, 2026.

Russians are angered by the government’s decision to increase military spending while utility bills continue to rise and incomes remain low. Some commenters demand that the burden of the war be shared not only by ordinary citizens but also by the families of government officials and members of the political elite.

At the same time, some participants in the discussions support expanding the army, viewing it as necessary to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities. However, the dominant themes are questions about the authorities’ future plans, military spending, and the potential consequences for the population.

Analysts note that fears of mobilization are not unfounded: Russia continues to expand its army’s authorized strength, while Ukrainian intelligence reports plans to recruit additional personnel and ongoing difficulties in meeting recruitment targets. At the same time, the decree increasing the army’s authorized strength does not automatically mean that a new mobilization will be announced. It does, however, add to the uncertainty surrounding how the Russian authorities intend to meet the military’s personnel needs.