Politics & World • Military

Russian Armed Forces

The Russian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Russian Federation.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Russian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Russian Federation. They include the Ground Forces, Navy, Aerospace Forces, and several independent combat arms, and are headed by the President of Russia as supreme commander-in-chief.

Organization

The Russian Armed Forces are divided into the Ground Forces, Navy, and Aerospace Forces, with independent combat arms including the Strategic Rocket Forces, Airborne Forces, and Unmanned Systems Forces. The Special Operations Forces Command is also listed separately.

Personnel

Estimates and official decrees differ by date and methodology, but recent figures place active-duty strength at about 1.5 million, with total armed forces strength at roughly 2.4 million. Older estimates in international references place active-duty personnel closer to about 1.0 to 1.1 million.

Equipment and capabilities

The force operates a wide range of conventional and strategic weapons, including tanks, artillery, aircraft, warships, missiles, and nuclear systems. It is also noted for its strategic bombers and ballistic missile submarine fleet.

Command and budget

The President of Russia serves as supreme commander-in-chief, while the Minister of Defence oversees the ministry. Military spending has risen sharply in recent years, with 2025 estimates around US$190 billion.

Key facts

The Russian Armed Forces are the military of Russia.
They are organised into three service branches and several independent combat arms.
Russia is widely described as having one of the world's largest militaries by personnel.
The force includes land, sea, air, missile, airborne, and special operations components.
Russia maintains a large nuclear arsenal and strategic bomber capability.

🍁

Canadian context

Canada is a NATO member and monitors the Russian Armed Forces as a major factor in European and Arctic security, defence planning, and global military balance.

Frequently asked questions

How large is the Russian Armed Forces?

Recent official decrees set the total strength at about 2.4 million personnel, including about 1.5 million active-duty troops.

What branches make up the Russian Armed Forces?

The main service branches are the Ground Forces, Navy, and Aerospace Forces. Independent combat arms include the Strategic Rocket Forces, Airborne Forces, and Unmanned Systems Forces.

How many soldiers does Russia have?

Recent figures place Russia's active-duty military at about 1.5 million soldiers, with total armed forces strength near 2.4 million.

What weapons does the Russian military use?

It uses a broad mix of weapons, including tanks, artillery, combat aircraft, warships, cruise and ballistic missiles, and nuclear weapons.

Who is the head of the Russian Armed Forces?

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is the supreme commander-in-chief.

What is the budget of the Russian military?

A 2025 estimate places Russian military expenditure at about US$190 billion, or around 7.5% of GDP.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Armed_Forces
Supports: Organization, service branches, supreme commander-in-chief, personnel estimates, and military expenditure context
CIA World Factbook — https://theodora.com/world_fact_book_2024/russia/russia_military.html
Supports: Branches and pre-2022 personnel estimates
Reuters — https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-orders-russian-army-grow-by-180000-soldiers-become-15-million-strong-2024-09-16/
Supports: Official decree raising active strength to 1.5 million
Congressional Research Service — https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IF/PDF/IF11589/IF11589.3.pdf
Supports: Historical Russian military expenditure estimates and budget context