MoscowRussian state news agency TASS said Putin set Russia’s army ceiling at 2.44 million.

It puts Russia’s wartime troop levels on a permanent legal footing as NATO debates Baltic defenses.

The decree raises the cap by 15,500 from July, marking the third increase since March, per TASS.

Troop numbers grew by nearly 50,000 between March and September, TASS said, with no ceiling in sight.

How each outlet framed it
TASS
documents authorized strength increase to 2.44M personnel (1.55M active), noting incremental expansion of 15,500 since July, 49,860 total since March

Sources: TASS