Putin orders over 100K increase in military headcount
Vlad the Impaler has ordered the Russian soldiers beefed up by 137,000 starting January. Current headcount is around 1.01 million, so this is an increase of over 10% in one go.
Putin’s decree, which takes effect on Jan. 1, didn’t specify whether the military will beef up its ranks by drafting a bigger number of conscripts, increasing the number of volunteer soldiers or using a combination of both.
The presidential decree will boost the overall number of Russian military personnel to 2,039,758, including 1,150,628 servicemen. A previous order put the military’s numbers at 1,902,758 and 1,013,628 respectively at the start of 2018.
All Russian men aged 18-27 must serve one year in the military, but a large share avoid the draft for health reasons or deferments granted to university students. The share of men who avoid the draft is particularly big in Moscow and other major cities.
Confusingly written article, I think when they refer to ‘servicemembers’ they mean soldiers as the over-all military strength is substantially higher.
Funny how their system parallels ours. “But a large share avoid the draft for health reasons or deferments” – like four college deferments followed by a suddenly debilitating medical issue that never seems to recur after their 26th birthday? Does appear they could still learn from us, I don’t see the term ‘stop loss’ anywhere.
You will volunteer, Comrade, or we will shoot you.
Da, is how always works.
“Funny how their system parallels ours”
I wonder if they have to repay student loans
Yeah, so between not having to pay for college anymore (because what fool would now?) and current leadership enviornment filtering down to the troops no one is now joining the military. And why would they unless they needed gender affirming surgery?
So what are they going to do? Stop Loss? Draft? Call up reserves? Send in 89,000 accountants from the IRS?
May you live in interesting times.
They also beat the living shit out of conscripts — or used to when the required service time was two years. Second year conscripts would make the incoming soldier’s lives hell.
I suppose these days we do that with PowerPoints on this side of the pond.
Wonder if Vlad will use his Nork troops positioned behind his new cannon fodder conscripts to push them into the maw of the beast? Any Cossacks in the mix?
Vlad the Impaler
Must have been a pain in the ass to sit on one of those poles…..
Probably better not to think too much about that.
I get the POINT
Aren’t you the sharp one?
Tip of the spear.
Return of the prodigal.
*grin*
No need for an in depth discussion.
Vlad the Mad.
Dammit, Jeff….
Pick a pocket faster than someones pocket rocket going off.