Russian military announces plan to expand, create new units

By The Associated Press

Russia announced an ambitious plan to beef up its military from 1 million to 1.5 million and create multiple new units. It’s an attempt to bolster the forces that have lost momentum and many soldiers in the war in Ukraine. Russia’s military chief cited NATO’s plans to incorporate Finland and Sweden as a factor in the buildup. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared Wednesday that the country needs a force of 1.5 million to guarantee Russia’s security. The Russian military currently has about 1 million soldiers. That compares with China’s force of 2 million and the U.S. force of 1.4 million.