It is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit new soldiers for the war in Ukraine in Russia. Although high payments are offered to compensate for the loss of manpower in the army, the decreasing number of volunteers willing to sign contracts forces the authorities to resort to harsher methods.
Modern.az reports, citing "Financial Times", that there are concerns that a new wave of mobilization may be announced in Russia after the State Duma elections in September.
The publication's interlocutors stated that Russians have started discussing the post-election period in private conversations and "Telegram" groups. Some are already checking the prices of airline tickets abroad, while others are considering leaving the country for a few weeks before the vote as a precautionary measure. The departure of hundreds of thousands of men from Russia after the partial mobilization announced in the autumn of 2022 is one of the main reasons for this concern.
Yaroslav, a manager from Moscow, told the publication: "I have no idea whether they will announce mobilization or not. But everyone has a feeling that something will happen after the elections."
However, there is no official decision on a new mobilization. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the claims about a new mobilization "nonsense."
More than 30,000 losses per month
According to calculations by Western countries, the monthly losses of the Russian army exceed 30,000 people. It is claimed that the number of Russian servicemen killed in battles during the war is close to 500,000. Russia does not confirm these figures.
Grigory Sverdlin, head of the "Get Lost" organization, which helps soldiers escape from the army, said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Russian army to find new soldiers year by year. In his opinion, as Vladimir Putin tries to postpone a new wave of mobilization as much as possible, the Ministry of Defense is increasing pressure to encourage individuals from various categories to sign contracts.
According to Russian officials, 200,000 people were recruited into the army in the first half of 2026. However, due to high losses, it is reported that most of them were sent to complete the personnel of units at the front instead of creating new reserve forces.
New contract signers are offered bonuses of up to 4.5 million rubles – approximately 56,000 dollars – in some cases.
Taken to military commissariats from the street and workplaces
One of the most striking points in the article is the methods of recruiting new soldiers. According to activists, in the Russian city of Penza, police officers raided workplaces and detained some men from the street, taking them to military commissariats. It is claimed that they were forced to sign military service contracts there.
Similar cases have been recorded in Ulyanovsk and Rostov. In Ulyanovsk, a man who had lost one eye was reportedly forced to sign such a contract.
It is also reported that specific social groups are targeted in the search for new soldiers. A report on one of the districts of the Belgorod region notes that local officials visited the homes and workplaces of "suitable candidates" for military service and held conversations with them. These individuals include those with debts, those who have recently returned from fixed-term military service, and men serving conditional sentences.
Yanis Kluge, a Russia expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said that local authorities are under great pressure to recruit the required number of soldiers each year.
According to him, information exists in state structures about who is in debt, who is involved in police investigations, and even who has recently lost their driver's license, and such individuals can become targets for military contract offers.
They talked to 2500 people, managed to convince 32
The figures released from Khabarovsk show how difficult it has become to find new soldiers in Russia.
According to police data, last year, 2500 people were interviewed for military service. Only 32 of them agreed to sign a contract.
Interestingly, only four of those 32 people were not involved in a criminal investigation. In other words, 28 of those who signed contracts were suspects or individuals under investigation in criminal cases.
It is reported that the Kremlin and the Ministry of Defense have set a target of recruiting 409,000 new soldiers for 2026 for local authorities.
In Russia, those who convince another person to sign a contract with the army are also paid a reward. This system has even led to the creation of an unofficial network of "recruiters" who try to attract potential soldiers to contracts by calling them on the phone.
Call-up notices are also sent to women
It is reported that women are also among those who receive call-up notices under the guise of checking military registration data. This mainly concerns women with medical and other specialties that can be used in the army.
Indira, a real estate agent from Nalchik, said that she and several former female classmates received military notices in May because she has a higher education in pharmacology.
From 2026, military commissariats in Russia have been authorized to send such call-ups throughout the year. Activists, however, claim that notices sent for clarification of registration are sometimes used to offer military contracts to people.
Desertion is increasing, at least 28,000 people have been convicted
Against the background of the increasing difficulty in finding new soldiers, there is also an increase in the number of deserters from the army.
According to the human rights organization "Peace Plea", at least 28,000 people in Russia have been convicted for leaving their service location.
According to calculations by Ukraine's "Frontelligence Insight" analytical group, based on internal documents, the real annual figure could be at least twice as high as the official figures.
Experts believe that if Russia cannot increase the pace of recruiting contract soldiers and does not conduct a new mobilization, the shortage of personnel in units at the front could become a more serious problem over time.
On the other hand, a new mobilization also carries political risks for the Kremlin itself. A source close to the Russian Ministry of Defense told the publication that the combined effect of heavy losses among those mobilized and possible mass desertion could lead to serious negative consequences for the authorities within the country.
