—”By January 2024, Russia may have an active force of over 2M”
And they have to feed and clothe them...
Paid for with an economy smaller than Canada or Italy, ten other countries, and the top three US States.
That will be difficult to maintain in a country with a long-term declining population.
Not being in the workforce will be an additional drag on the Russian economy which has long been short-handed.
I think the need to bleed dictates force size. Russians believe Biden Admin when they said they are at War with Russia, and they wanted to collaspe Russia from Ukraine.
Three years from now they may be down to 1.2M.
They only have to worry about the active force as reserves are back in civilian population working or getting drunk.