How Russia continues to recruit soldiers to replace those who have died

In Russia, joining the military is increasingly presented like any other job offer. Recruitment ads appear on messaging apps such as Telegram, often alongside news channels and group chats, offering signing bonuses that can reach $540,000 a staggering sum in a country where average monthly wages remain under $1,000. The incentives extend beyond cash, including debt relief, free childcare, and guaranteed university spots for soldiers children. Even criminal records, illnesses, and HIV no longer automatically prevent enlistment.

For many men facing economic hardships, military service has become a last resort. Behind this surge in recruitment is a nationwide system managed by Russias 80+ regional governments. Under pressure from the Kremlin, these regions act as recruitment hubs, competing for soldiers by offering generous financial packages. What started as a temporary wartime measure has evolved into a quasi-commercial hiring network, funded by federal bonuses and local budgets.

Regional authorities often hire human resources agencies, which then contract freelance recruiters to advertise positions online, screen candidates, and guide them through enlistment paperwork. Essentially, any Russian citizen can now become a wartime recruiter, earning commissions for bringing new soldiers to the front.

Western intelligence agencies are closely monitoring this system. Despite an estimated 1 million Russian soldiers killed or severely wounded since 2022, the army continues to expand, raising concerns about Russias long-term military strategy and its potential for future territorial ambitions. Former CIA Director David Petraeus noted that as long as the Kremlin can maintain these incentives, Russia can sustain the prolonged conflict that has characterized fighting in Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that the war will end only if Ukrainian forces leave territories claimed by Russia, otherwise Moscow will enforce its conditions by military force.

A Market for Soldiers

When the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Olga and her husband Alexander were running a small civilian recruitment agency in Moscow. About a year and a half ago, they shifted to recruiting soldiers, finding it far more profitable. Their work involves finding candidates for infantry and drone operations, often using Telegram to connect with thousands of potential recruits daily.

Following a partial mobilization in September 2022, which initially caused public outrage and mass emigration, Russia began offering incentives to prisoners, migrant workers, and indebted men to join the military. By 2024, Putin formally ordered the armed forces to expand to 1.5 million active-duty troops, emphasizing monetary rewards, benefits, and appeals to manhood over coercion.

Political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann explains that these measures target socially vulnerable men those with debts, criminal records, or limited opportunities providing them a path to income and survival.

Recruiters like Olga and Alexander now run small teams, competing across regional channels where bonuses fluctuate depending on local demand. These incentives can reach amounts capable of buying an apartment in Russia. Recruitment has become a vital mechanism to sustain manpower, with regions spending tens of millions of dollars to keep enlistment levels high. Economists estimate average signing bonuses now hover around $25,850, sometimes exceeding $50,000 in certain areas.

Maintaining the Army

The recruitment system brings approximately 30,000 volunteers into Russian forces monthly, offsetting battlefield losses. Recent legislation has converted the draft system from a seasonal process to a continuous one, creating a permanent recruitment infrastructure. Analysts note that Russias ability to maintain its army despite heavy casualties gives it a significant advantage over Ukraine, allowing it to seize new territory regularly.

Many recruits, like Anton, join out of financial necessity rather than patriotism. Anton, a father of three, was unemployed and in debt when he enlisted, lured by bonuses and a stable contract. Assigned to operate drones near combat zones, he emphasizes that most soldiers are motivated by survival and economic improvement, not ideology. Even severe injuries carry fixed compensation, making military service a high-risk, high-reward path for disadvantaged men.

For Russias economically marginalized populations, the military has become a rare route to financial stability and social recognition. As one analyst put it, men who might otherwise feel like failures at home can gain a sense of purpose even if it comes at enormous personal risk.

Sources:

• How Russia keeps raising an army to replace its dead

Author: Maya Henderson
Maya Henderson is a journalist focused on technology and startups. She has experience in leading IT publications and excels at conducting interviews and creating visual content.