https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/putin-expands-army-for-fourth-time-this-year-as-war-losses-mountContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/putin-expands-army-for-fourth-time-this-year-as-war-losses-mounthttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/putin-expands-army-for-fourth-time-this-year-as-war-losses-mount#u103215Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:41:48 +0000President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on September 28 increasing the authorized size of the Russian military. The order adds 15,500 active-duty posts, raising the total active force to 1.55 million. This marks the fourth such expansion since March 2026 as the conflict in Ukraine enters its fifth winter. Simultaneously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that North Korea is preparing to deploy an additional 10,000 troops to support Russian forces.Why it mattersThese incremental staffing increases occur as Russia's military operations in Ukraine appear to stall. The reliance