News - Middle East: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the country's military leaders to recruit more forces to increase its troop numbers to 1.5 million.

The number of Russian soldiers will rise from 1.32 million to 1.5 million, according to Putin's decree, which will come into effect on December 1.

Putin’s decree, published on the official government website, will increase the overall number of Russian military personnel from 2.2 million to nearly 2.4 million (including 1.5 million troops).

The presidential decree also orders the government to provide the necessary funding for the increase in the number of armed forces.