Putin orders Russian army to grow by 180,000 soldiers to become 1.5 million-strong

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the coordination council to ensure the needs of Russia's Armed Forces, via video link in Moscow, Russia October 25, 2022. Sputnik/Alexei Babushkin/Kremlin via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the size of the Russian army to increase by 180,000 troops to 1.5 million soldiers.

Putin gave the order in a decree published on the Kremlin's website.

(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)