Russia signs 280,000 for contract military service this year -Medvedev

The deputy chair of the Russian Security Council, former President Dmitry Medvedev, said, some 280,000 people have signed up so far this year for professional service with Russia’s military.
Visiting Russia’s Far East, Medvedev said he was meeting local officials to work on efforts to beef up the armed forces.
State news agency TASS quoted Medvedev as saying”According to the Ministry of Defence, since Jan. 1, about 280,000 people have been accepted into the ranks of the Armed Forces on a contract basis,” including reservists.
Last year Russia announced a plan to expand its combat personnel more than 30% to 1.5 million, an ambitious task made harder by its heavy but undisclosed casualties in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Some Russian lawmakers suggested Russia needs a professional army 7-million strong to ensure the country’s security – a move that would require a huge budget allowance.