President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that formally boosts Russia's armed forces to about 2.4 million, including 1.5 million troops.

The new increase announced Monday follows a similar directive issued by the President in December 2023, which increased the number of Russian military employees to little more than 2.2 million, including 1.3 million troops.

In his directive, Putin also directed the Russian government to give the finances required for the Defense Ministry to carry out the decree, which formally raises the armed forces' total manpower strength to 2,389,130.

The previous time the President increased the number of Russian troops was due to the West's "proxy war" against Moscow, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. "Our country's security must be ensured, of course," Peskov declared at the time.

“This is connected with the war that the countries of the collective West are waging. A proxy war, which includes elements of indirect participation in military actions and elements of economic warfare, financial warfare, legal warfare, going beyond the legal framework, and so on.”

Russia's Defense Ministry also announced at the time that the army would be expanded by individuals who volunteered to serve on a contract basis.

It further stated that the decision to raise personnel numbers was motivated by the danger posed by NATO's ongoing expansion. The bloc has dramatically increased its military presence along the Russian border, deploying more air defense systems and attack weapons.

"An additional increase in the combat strength and numbers of the armed forces is an adequate response to the aggressive activities of the NATO bloc," the Russian Ministry detailed.

Kiev using long-range weapons means NATO, Russia at direct war: Moscow

The decree comes at a time of heated debate over the possible deployment of US- and UK-supplied long-range weapons by Ukraine against Russia.

This will prompt Moscow to consider NATO countries at "direct" war with Russia if restrictions on Ukraine using long-range weapons to target the country are lifted, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said on Friday.

"If the decision to lift the restrictions is really taken, that will mean that from that moment on NATO countries are conducting direct war with Russia," Nebenzia said during a meeting of the UN Security Council requested by Russia over the issue of Western provisions of weapons to Kiev.

"In this case, we will have to take, as you understand, relevant decisions with all the consequences for this that the Western aggressors would incur," he added.

The Russian diplomat also stated that the United States is trying to shift all the blame onto others, but it will not succeed because there is "intelligence from US and EU satellites."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy were set to discuss easing restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons during their visit to Kiev that began Wednesday.

The visit coincides with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's pressure on his Western allies to provide more power weapons with fewer restrictions.