00:00 23-04-2026

Russia Boosts Military Strength Despite Sanctions – MIVD Report

MIVD reports Russia has expanded and improved its military during the Ukraine conflict, boosting troop numbers, weapons production, and global ranking position.

Russia has managed to significantly strengthen its military capabilities during the course of the conflict in Ukraine, despite facing sweeping Western sanctions. This conclusion comes from the Netherlands’ Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD), which outlined its assessment in its 2025 annual report.

According to the document, the Russian Armed Forces have shown a high degree of adaptability in response to rapidly changing conditions. The agency assesses that the army has not only expanded in size but has also become more effective compared to its pre-conflict state. Throughout 2025, Russia steadily increased troop numbers, improved military training systems, boosted the production of heavy weaponry, and built up substantial reserves of strategically important ammunition.

The report also takes a close look at Russia’s defense industry. MIVD highlights that the sector has maintained both its scale and quality, preserving its capacity for serial weapons production despite Western efforts to restrict access to critical components and raw materials.

These findings are reinforced by international rankings. In January, Russia was listed among the world’s top three military powers for early 2026 by Global Firepower. Based on a composite index that evaluates more than 60 indicators, the country ranked second out of 145 states-retaining the same position it held in a similar ranking published at the end of 2025.