Military personnel in Russia

Russia: Military personnel was 1.19 million in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
1.19 million
Change on year
up 32.2%
World rank
5th
of 194 countries
All-time high
12.50 million
in 1945
All-time low
526,000
in 1848
Years of data
206
1816–2022

Military personnel in Russia, 1816–2022

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M181619192022

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2022, military personnel in Russia stood at 1.19 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 32.2% on the previous year and up 24.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, military personnel in Russia peaked at 12.50 million in 1945 and was at its lowest, 526,000, in 1848.

That places Russia 5th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Military personnel in Russia, year by year

Annual values for Military personnel in Russia, 1816 to 2022.
Year Value Change
1816 800,000 —
1817 700,000 -12.5%
1818 600,000 -14.3%
1819 596,000 -0.7%
1820 772,000 +29.5%
1821 949,000 +22.9%
1822 1.00 million +5.5%
1823 684,000 -31.7%
1824 1.03 million +50.9%
1825 860,000 -16.7%
1826 578,000 -32.8%
1827 675,000 +16.8%
1828 624,000 -7.6%
1829 803,000 +28.7%
1830 826,000 +2.9%
1831 851,000 +3.0%
1832 875,000 +2.8%
1833 900,000 +2.9%
1834 784,000 -12.9%
1835 668,000 -14.8%
1836 1.02 million +52.7%
1837 574,000 -43.7%
1838 570,000 -0.7%
1839 567,000 -0.5%
1840 623,000 +9.9%
1841 680,000 +9.1%
1842 736,000 +8.2%
1843 793,000 +7.7%
1844 754,000 -4.9%
1845 706,000 -6.4%
1846 677,000 -4.1%
1847 803,000 +18.6%
1848 526,000 -34.5%
1849 699,000 +32.9%
1850 871,000 +24.6%
1851 560,000 -35.7%
1852 756,000 +35.0%
1853 761,000 +0.7%
1854 1.10 million +44.5%
1855 1.55 million +40.9%
1856 2.00 million +29.0%
1857 1.02 million -49.0%
1858 870,000 -14.6%
1859 850,000 -2.3%
1860 862,000 +1.4%
1861 864,000 +0.2%
1862 682,000 -21.1%
1863 812,000 +19.1%
1864 1.14 million +39.8%
1865 727,000 -35.9%
1866 697,000 -4.1%
1867 628,000 -9.9%
1868 673,000 +7.2%
1869 706,000 +4.9%
1870 738,000 +4.5%
1871 765,000 +3.7%
1872 826,000 +8.0%
1873 826,000 +0.0%
1874 830,000 +0.5%
1875 835,000 +0.6%
1876 859,000 +2.9%
1877 840,000 -2.2%
1878 1.21 million +44.4%
1879 843,000 -30.5%
1880 909,000 +7.8%
1881 908,000 -0.1%
1882 908,000 +0.0%
1883 803,000 -11.6%
1884 803,000 +0.0%
1885 803,000 +0.0%
1886 820,000 +2.1%
1887 837,000 +2.1%
1888 900,000 +7.5%
1889 843,000 -6.3%
1890 844,000 +0.1%
1891 871,000 +3.2%
1892 896,000 +2.9%
1893 890,000 -0.7%
1894 921,000 +3.5%
1895 928,000 +0.8%
1896 928,000 +0.0%
1897 928,000 +0.0%
1898 928,000 +0.0%
1899 938,000 +1.1%
1900 1.14 million +21.7%
1901 1.14 million +0.0%
1902 1.16 million +1.6%
1903 1.16 million +0.0%
1904 1.16 million +0.0%
1905 2.37 million +103.9%
1906 1.24 million -47.7%
1907 1.23 million -0.2%
1908 1.38 million +11.9%
1909 1.43 million +3.8%
1910 1.38 million -3.8%
1911 1.43 million +3.4%
1912 1.43 million +0.5%
1913 1.29 million -10.3%
1914 1.32 million +2.7%
1915 5.50 million +316.4%
1916 10.90 million +98.2%
1917 9.05 million -17.0%
1919 1.55 million -82.9%
1920 3.05 million +96.8%
1921 5.50 million +80.3%
1922 3.60 million -34.5%
1923 2.10 million -41.7%
1924 562,000 -73.2%
1925 562,000 +0.0%
1926 562,000 +0.0%
1927 562,000 +0.0%
1928 562,000 +0.0%
1929 562,000 +0.0%
1930 562,000 +0.0%
1931 562,000 +0.0%
1932 562,000 +0.0%
1933 885,000 +57.5%
1934 940,000 +6.2%
1935 1.30 million +38.3%
1936 1.30 million +0.0%
1937 1.43 million +10.2%
1938 1.57 million +9.3%
1939 1.79 million +14.2%
1940 4.20 million +134.8%
1941 4.21 million +0.2%
1942 4.93 million +17.2%
1943 5.11 million +3.6%
1944 6.10 million +19.3%
1945 12.50 million +104.9%
1946 2.50 million -80.0%
1947 2.70 million +8.0%
1948 2.90 million +7.4%
1949 3.60 million +24.1%
1950 4.30 million +19.4%
1951 5.00 million +16.3%
1952 5.80 million +16.0%
1953 5.80 million +0.0%
1954 5.80 million +0.0%
1955 5.80 million +0.0%
1956 5.10 million -12.1%
1957 4.50 million -11.8%
1958 3.90 million -13.3%
1959 3.60 million -7.7%
1960 3.60 million +0.0%
1961 3.00 million -16.7%
1962 3.00 million +0.0%
1963 3.11 million +3.7%
1964 3.11 million +0.0%
1965 2.78 million -10.6%
1966 3.80 million +36.7%
1967 3.90 million +2.6%
1968 4.10 million +5.1%
1969 4.20 million +2.4%
1970 4.30 million +2.4%
1971 3.90 million -9.3%
1972 4.00 million +2.6%
1973 4.00 million +0.0%
1974 4.10 million +2.5%
1975 4.10 million +0.0%
1976 4.20 million +2.4%
1977 3.90 million -7.1%
1978 3.90 million +0.0%
1979 3.90 million +0.0%
1980 3.90 million +0.0%
1981 3.90 million +0.0%
1982 3.90 million +0.0%
1983 3.90 million +0.0%
1984 3.90 million +0.0%
1985 3.90 million +0.0%
1986 3.90 million +0.0%
1987 3.90 million +0.0%
1988 3.90 million +0.0%
1989 3.70 million -5.1%
1990 3.40 million -8.1%
1991 3.00 million -11.8%
1992 1.90 million -36.7%
1993 1.50 million -21.1%
1994 1.40 million -6.7%
1995 1.40 million +0.0%
1996 1.30 million -7.1%
1997 1.30 million +0.0%
1998 1.00 million -23.1%
1999 900,000 -10.0%
2000 1.00 million +11.6%
2001 977,000 -2.7%
2002 988,000 +1.1%
2003 961,000 -2.7%
2004 999,000 +4.0%
2005 1.04 million +3.8%
2006 1.03 million -1.0%
2007 1.03 million +0.0%
2008 1.03 million +0.0%
2009 1.03 million +0.0%
2010 1.03 million +0.0%
2011 1.05 million +1.9%
2012 956,000 -8.6%
2013 845,000 -11.6%
2014 845,000 +0.0%
2015 771,000 -8.8%
2016 798,000 +3.5%
2017 831,000 +4.1%
2018 900,000 +8.3%
2019 900,000 +0.0%
2020 900,000 +0.0%
2021 900,000 +0.0%
2022 1.19 million +32.2%

Russia compared with similar countries

  • Russia's 1.19 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 18,500, 64.3× the median. (64 countries reporting)
  • Russia's 1.19 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23,000, 51.7× the median. (52 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Military personnel in Russia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1915 +316.4% 1.32 million 5.50 million
1940 +134.8% 1.79 million 4.20 million
1945 +104.9% 6.10 million 12.50 million
1905 +103.9% 1.16 million 2.37 million
1916 +98.2% 5.50 million 10.90 million
1920 +96.8% 1.55 million 3.05 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1810s 674,000 596,000 800,000 4
1820s 797,800 578,000 1.03 million 10
1830s 763,500 567,000 1.02 million 10
1840s 699,700 526,000 803,000 10
1850s 1.03 million 560,000 2.00 million 10
1860s 778,600 628,000 1.14 million 10
1870s 857,500 738,000 1.21 million 10
1880s 853,400 803,000 909,000 10
1890s 907,200 844,000 938,000 10
1900s 1.34 million 1.14 million 2.37 million 10
1910s 3.76 million 1.29 million 10.90 million 9
1920s 1.76 million 562,000 5.50 million 10
1930s 1.09 million 562,000 1.79 million 10
1940s 4.88 million 2.50 million 12.50 million 10
1950s 4.96 million 3.60 million 5.80 million 10
1960s 3.46 million 2.78 million 4.20 million 10
1970s 4.03 million 3.90 million 4.30 million 10
1980s 3.88 million 3.70 million 3.90 million 10
1990s 1.71 million 900,000 3.40 million 10
2000s 1.01 million 961,000 1.04 million 10
2010s 891,900 771,000 1.05 million 10
2020s 996,667 900,000 1.19 million 3

Countries ranked near Russia

  1. 2 India 1.46 million compare
  2. 3 United States 1.36 million compare
  3. 4 North Korea 1.28 million compare
  4. 6 Ukraine 688,000 compare
  5. 7 Pakistan 652,000 compare
  6. 8 Iran 610,000 compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More reference data data for Russia

All data for Russia →

Frequently asked questions

What is military personnel in Russia?
Military personnel in Russia was 1.19 million in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest military personnel recorded in Russia?
The highest recorded value was 12.50 million in 1945.
What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Russia?
The lowest recorded value was 526,000 in 1848.
How does Russia rank for military personnel?
Russia ranks 5th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
Is military personnel rising or falling in Russia?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Russia data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Military personnel in Russia. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/military-personnel/russian-federation/

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About this data

Indicator
Military personnel
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
194 places, 15,765 data points, 1816–2022
Last refreshed