How Big Is Russia’s Army? Troops, Reserves and Conscription

Russia’s armed forces have an authorized strength of 1.5 million servicemen, which on paper makes them the second largest in the world after China’s. Independent estimates put the number actually serving at about 1.1 million, and Ukraine’s military says roughly 721,000 of them are deployed in and around Ukraine.

The word army can mean the whole military or the Ground Forces alone, and the two are often confused. This guide gives both, then explains how Russia fills the ranks: paid contracts, conscription, reserves and the mobilization of 2022.

How big is Russia’s army?

The legal ceiling has been raised three times since the invasion. Vladimir Putin’s most recent decree, signed in September 2024, set it at 1.5 million servicemen and about 2.39 million people including civilian staff.

Actual numbers are lower. Recent editions of the IISS Military Balance estimate about 1.1 million active personnel. The Ground Forces, the army in the narrow sense, account for roughly half.

How many Russian troops are in Ukraine?

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said at the end of June 2026 that 721,300 Russian personnel were deployed against Ukraine. He added that the figure had barely moved in six months, having grown by 7,000 to 9,000 a month during the first half of 2025.

The plateau reflects losses, not restraint. Syrskyi put Russian casualties at 30,000 to 35,000 a month. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated in July 2026 that Russia had suffered about 1.4 million killed and wounded since 2022. The equipment those troops use is covered in how many tanks Russia has.

How does Russia recruit soldiers?

Most of the men fighting in Ukraine are contract soldiers who volunteered for money. The federal signing bonus is 400,000 rubles, regional governments add payments that in some regions exceed 2 million rubles, and monthly pay at the front starts at about 210,000 rubles, several times the average wage in poorer regions.

The system has delivered roughly 400,000 recruits a year. Ukraine’s military intelligence chief said Moscow aimed to sign more than 400,000 again in 2026, but Syrskyi reported that recruitment in spring 2026 was down by about a third on a year earlier. Neither claim can be verified. Russia has also drawn on prisoners, foreign recruits and, in late 2024, North Korean troops sent to the Kursk region.

How does conscription work in Russia?

Men aged 18 to 30 are liable for 12 months of service. The 2025 drafts called up about 295,000, the largest annual total in more than a decade. Since January 2026 conscription has run year-round instead of in spring and autumn campaigns.

By law and by repeated official promise, conscripts are not sent to fight in Ukraine. They serve inside Russia, including in border regions that have come under attack, and are pressed to sign contracts. Conscription matters to the war mainly as a pipeline of trained men who can be recruited later.

How large are Russia’s reserves?

The IISS counts about 1.5 million reservists with recent military service. The wider pool of men with any military training is far larger. Russia called up 300,000 reservists in the partial mobilization of September 2022, and the decree was never formally cancelled, so most of those men are still serving.

The Kremlin has avoided a second mobilization because the first prompted hundreds of thousands to leave the country. Laws passed since then make evasion harder, with electronic call-up notices and automatic travel bans, and allow reservists to be called up to guard infrastructure inside Russia.

How is the Russian army organized?

The armed forces have three services, the Ground Forces, Aerospace Forces and Navy, and three independent arms: the Strategic Rocket Forces, the Airborne Forces and the Unmanned Systems Forces, created in November 2025 to run drone warfare. They are spread across five military districts: Moscow, Leningrad, Southern, Central and Eastern.

Since 2022 Russia has been turning brigades back into divisions and forming new armies and corps, particularly opposite Finland and the Baltic states. Many of these formations are still understrength. The overall balance of forces is summarized in how strong Russia’s military is.

Frequently asked questions

How many soldiers does Russia have?

The authorized strength is 1.5 million servicemen. The IISS estimates about 1.1 million active personnel, of whom roughly 550,000 are in the Ground Forces.

Is Russia’s army bigger than the US Army?

Yes. Russia’s Ground Forces have about 550,000 personnel against roughly 450,000 active-duty soldiers in the US Army. The US armed forces as a whole have about 1.3 million active personnel.

Are Russian conscripts fighting in Ukraine?

Officially no. Conscripts serve inside Russia, though some have been caught up in fighting in border regions.

How much are Russian soldiers paid?

Contract soldiers at the front earn from about 210,000 rubles a month, plus signing bonuses that can total more than 2 million rubles.

Has Russia mobilized again since 2022?

No. The partial mobilization of September 2022 called up 300,000 men. Russia has since relied on paid contracts.