In the next 10 years, Russia expects a conflict with NATO and will increase its army to 1.5 million – The Wall Street Journal

Russia’s military superiority over Ukraine will continue to grow “if Western countries do not step up.”

This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing an intelligence officer, though it did not clarify what is meant by “stepping up.”

According to European intelligence, Russia expects a conflict with NATO within the next decade and aims to build a permanent army of 1.5 million troops by the end of 2026.

The invasion by Russia has prompted Europe and the USA to seriously reconsider the need to maintain combat-ready armies. However, individual countries are struggling to recruit a large number of volunteers.

For instance, in 2022, the U.S. Army experienced its most challenging year in terms of recruitment since the abolition of the draft in the 1970s, falling short of its recruitment target by 25%.