Putin expands troops and budget, prompting calls for stronger UK and EU defence response

Vladimir Putin issued a decree to enlarge Russia's military by more than 15,000 soldiers, raising the total strength to over 1.5 million, and announced a 27 percent increase in the defence budget for the next year. The piece points out that logistical shortfalls persist, recalling how soldiers in Chechnya and Ukraine were forced to buy their own equipment, while noting that Russian factories are now producing weapons at an accelerated pace.

This expansion is framed as a long-term strategy rather than a quick fix, signalling that Russia is preparing for a protracted conflict. The author urges the United Kingdom and NATO partners to focus on capabilities Russia finds hardest to overcome—dense air-defence, missile shields, cheap drones and electronic warfare—rather than a direct troop race. Ongoing programmes such as NATO's call for more air defences, the EU's Readiness 2030 plan, and increased defence spending in Germany and Poland are cited, but the article stresses that delivery must keep pace with planning. Finally, it argues that keeping Ukraine in the fight remains the most effective way to drain Russian resources and preserve European security.