Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during the press conference in Kyiv on 18 November that Russian forces are significantly expanding their military capabilities.
“Russian forces are growing. They are increasing their force numbers. They are creating new brigades. By 1 June, they reached half of what they were aiming to achieve,” Umerov said.
The minister highlighted Russia’s mobilization challenges. According to Umerov, Russia is using many mercenaries from Africa, Asia, and North Korea, which means it has problems, but it is not stopping; it is growing.
“We know the exact number. It is a significant quantity,” Umerov said.
North Korea supplies Russia with artillery rounds, missiles, and thousands of troops to aid Russia in the war against Ukraine. Russia has assembled 50,000 troops in Kursk Oblast, including North Korean soldiers in Russian uniforms, for an alleged offensive against Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast.
Bloomberg reported on 17 November that North Korea could send up to 100,000 troops to support Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Umerov said that Ukraine is working to “create forces that can resist since defense and stabilization operations are the priority.”
On 16 September, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing the Russian Armed Forces’ staff strength at 1.5 million military personnel – an increase of 180,000 compared to his December 2023 directive.
The National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Lytvynenko said on 29 October that Ukraine plans to conscript over 160,000 more personnel, aiming to achieve 85% unit completeness.
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