Russian President Vladimir Putin has quietly signed a new decree that calls for a special two-month training regiment for all men in the military reserves. In February 2022, Putin signed a similar decree six days before the start of the invasion of Ukraine.

The current document, signed late Wednesday, does not say when the training camps will occur nor how many people will be called. But already, the move may reveal a lot about the state of Russia's military capabilities.

Reports say an estimated 147,000 more Russians have been called up for military service in 2023 than last year. However, there is no official accounting of how many of those called for duty are professional soldiers and how many are new volunteers.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that the participants of the two-month training would not participate in actual combat. But government critics believe that Putin has called for the new training rules precisely as a way to force more recruits and reserves to the frontline, as Russia has exhausted its stock of professional soldiers, volunteers, and even former prisoners — and is facing difficulties replenishing its troops.