How the Kremlin "Solves" Its Personnel Problems The Real Scale of Contract Recruitment in the Russian Army Far Exceeds Official Announcements
It seems the official reports about the number of "volunteers" eager to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense always tend to "understate" the reality. According to data obtained by "IStories," based on an analysis of federal budget expenditures, nearly 89.6 thousand individuals joined the ranks of contract soldiers in just the first quarter of 2025. This is already a significant figure, but it represents only a part of a broader picture that reveals Russia's true scale of demand for human resources on the front lines.
Looking at the dynamics, it's clear that the Kremlin has been actively "luring" people into the army over recent years. For instance, the fourth quarter of 2023 saw a peak when over 200 thousand people signed contracts. This is an astonishing number, indicating an enormous demand. Even after such a "surge" and a subsequent decline, the figures remain high. In the fourth quarter of 2024, approximately 155 thousand contract soldiers were enlisted, and in the second quarter of the same year, this number reached around 95 thousand.
Of course, such "popularity" of contract service is no coincidence. "IStories"' investigation clearly points to one of the key reasons the substantial increase in payments. Starting in August 2024, the "incentive" amounts rose from 195 to a hefty 400 thousand rubles. For that kind of money, many are probably willing to "forget" about the risks. This is a vivid example of how financial incentives become the main driver for replenishing the armed forces' ranks when other methods are no longer as effective. These figures, meticulously calculated from budget expenditures, paint a stark picture of Russia's genuine efforts to attract new fighters.
