On Tuesday Zelensky signed a decree to increase the total size of the armed forces by 100,000 troops, and ordered a pay increase across the ranks over the next three years. Ironically he still sought to calm fears of a Russian military invasion, saying the decision is “not because we will soon have a war… but so that soon and in the future there will be peace in Ukraine.”

Zelensky’s visit to front lines in Donbas last year: Ukraine President’s Office.

While Russia’s armed forces are commonly estimated at just under one million, Ukraine’s military is made up of about 250,000.

According to BBC, “Mr Zelensky told Ukraine’s parliament, the Rada, that he had signed a decree to increase the size of the Ukrainian army by 100,000 active soldiers, with the formation of 20 new brigades over three years while phasing out compulsory military service. Ukraine’s professional army is vastly outnumbered by Russia’s.”

Below is an infographic comparing the two militaries, clearly showing Russia’s overwhelming superiority in terms of equipment and forces, via BBC:

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Kiev on Tuesday, ironically or perhaps “conveniently” at a moment he’s embroiled in political scandal and calls for his resignation amid ‘partygate’.

Johnson is said to be in Ukraine’s capital to vow a new pledge of £88m ($118m) to “promote stable governance and energy independence from Russia.” Earlier this month the UK was first out of the gate with frequent military flights delivering arms to Ukraine, believed to be mainly anti-tank and anti-armor missiles and systems.

Though Zelensky and his top officials have continued to say that the Russia threat is less than what the US and UK have been making it out to be, Washington has continued to appear more alarmed than Kiev itself.

For example US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield days ago alleged that Russia would have never amassed the amount of troops they have if they didn’t intend to use them against Ukraine. “We’ve seen the Russian playbook before. They are using disinformation. They’re encouraging Ukrainians not to worry about an attack, but we know that the attack is possible,” she told ABC’s “This Week.” She added: “You don’t amass 100,000 troops if you don’t have intentions to use them.”

But given that the world has now been hearing for weeks about the “imminent” Russian invasion that never seems to materialize, it’s at this point appearing more like a virtual Ukraine invasion is virtually imminent – to borrow a line from The Saker.

In addition to adding 100,000 troops, the plan will extend their contracts and create 20 new brigades within the armed forces. It will also bump up service members’ pay to a minimum of three times the minimum wage, which is currently 6,500 hryvnias ($225).

The Ukrainian army currently consists of around 260,000 troops, making it the 22nd largest in the world. An increase of 100,000 would put it about equal with Turkey and Thailand, in 15th place. Russia has the fifth-most active military personnel in the world, at just over one million, and the US is third, with 1.4 million, after India and China.

In 2021, Ukraine spent $5.4 billion on its military, Russia spent $48 billion, and the US spent $750 billion, more than the next 10 countries combined.

Western leaders have been warning for months that Russia could be planning an invasion of Ukraine in the near future, citing reports of a buildup of around 100,000 troops near the two countries’ border. Moscow has denied that it has any aggressive intentions, and has called for security deals that would limit the expansion of NATO, the US-led military bloc, in eastern Europe.

Last week, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that President Joe Biden had authorized an additional $200 million of military assistance to Ukraine, including Javelin anti-tank missiles and “large quantities of artillery.”
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