Kremlin introduces new strategy to recruit Russians for war in Ukraine - ISW

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov stated that the government requires additional funds to subsidize banks, service state debt, and meet the extra needs of the Russian Ministry of Defense and law enforcement agencies due to the war in Ukraine. An additional 1.5 trillion rubles (approximately $16 billion) is being requested for 2024 on top of the funds already allocated from the federal budget.

The ISW noted that the Russian Ministry of Defense continues to offer incentives to encourage citizens' voluntary participation in Russia’s war against Ukraine. On October 18, the Russian defense ministry presented a draft resolution proposing to grant combatant status to war volunteers in Ukraine from the start of their participation.

The draft resolution does not require volunteers to apply to Russian military authorities to obtain combatant status.

"But would require the military unit conducting the recruitment to submit the volunteer's information to Russian authorities. This is likely part of ongoing efforts by Russian authorities to incentivize voluntary recruitment and to minimize the need to conduct an unpopular wave of involuntary mobilization," the ISW states.

Mobilization in Russia

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian authorities have announced several rounds of additional mobilization for its citizens to participate in the war in Ukraine. The first wave was announced in the fall of 2022 following the Ukrainian Armed Forces' liberation of most areas in the Kharkiv region.

In September of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not rule out a new wave of mobilization for the war in Ukraine.

However, ISW considers such a decision unlikely. Putin fears that new mobilization could impact the stability of his regime.

As an alternative, the Kremlin has deployed one of North Korea's most secretive special forces units in the war against Ukraine.