On Tuesday, the Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin’s directive to expand Russia’s military into the second largest globally was essential to counter escalating threats along Russia’s western frontiers and the instability in the east.

On Monday, Putin mandated an increase of 180,000 personnel, raising the total number of active troops to 1.5 million, positioning Russia just behind China in military size.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained during a conference call that this decision was driven by the multitude of threats facing the nation along its borders. He emphasized that the highly adversarial conditions on the western borders and the unrest in the east necessitate decisive action.

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a prominent military research organization, this troop increase would allow Russia to surpass both the United States and India in active combat personnel, making it second only to China.

This latest move marks the third occasion on which Putin has increased the size of the military since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022. It coincides with Russian forces advancing in eastern Ukraine along a substantial 1,000 km (627-mile) frontline, as they attempt to displace Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region of Russia.

Andrei Kartapolov, the chairman of the defense committee in Russia’s lower house of parliament, stated on Monday that one of the reasons for this military expansion is to establish new structures and units aimed at enhancing security in north-western Russia, particularly following Finland’s accession to NATO.

Additionally, Russia has voiced concerns regarding what it perceives as the increasing militarization of Japan, which it attributes to U.S. influence, along with potential plans for the deployment of U.S. missiles in the region.