Putin is reportedly expanding the Russian military again (Image: Getty)
Putin has issued a chilling WW3 warning as he calls on thousands more troops after insisting that Russia is not preparing for war with Europe.
This marks the fourth time this year the Russian leader has ordered an expansion of his huge military.
Vladimir Putin’s armed forces are now authorised to contain 2,441,630 personnel, which includes 1,550,500 active-duty military personnel.
The growth comes just days after he urged that Russia is not set to create wider conflict with Europe following insider information the country will attack NATO countries.
Putin said: “I want to emphasise once again that we are not preparing for any military action against Europe.
“We have no such plans, and, most importantly, there are no grounds for them.
“There are no real incentives whatsoever to escalate the situation with Europe.”
He claimed that European countries were purposefully escalating tensions by warning residents to prepare for a Russian attack.
He also added that the rights of Russian speakers were being violated in the Baltic states but Moscow would respond through humanitarian measures and international law and not violence, reports the Sun.
The military expansions comes a week after a parliamentary election that saw Putin’s United Russia party tighten its iron grip on the State Duma.
The election was the first of its kind since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and was portrayed as a test of support for war.
Russians were urged to used their ballots to demonstrate that “millions of people” backed the fighting, however it was critiqued as any meaningful opposition had been crushed before the votes.
The Russian military is set to expand again (Image: RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE/HANDOUT HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)
Votes by Kyiv or Western government were not recognised as legitimate, with the election held inside Russia and in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
The Institute for the Study of War said that the Kremlin was looking to use the election as evidence of support for Putin’s war and it could help Moscow justify “long-term societal sacrifices such as mobilization”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that additional mobilisation has already occurred as a result.
He said: “In effect, the Russians have already begun mobilisation.
“They are increasing the number of people they recruit through various means.
“They also plan to increase the recruitment of foreigners, and it is important that the governments of the countries from which Russia recruits people into its ranks counter this.
“We will inform every relevant government.”
The Ukrainian President warned that Putin could seek another 300,000 troops following the elections.
As well as gathering more troops, it is reported that Russia will also spend around £153 billion on defence in 2027, according to government documents seen by Reuters.
This amount would be the largest spend since war was unleashed in 2022.
