Russia plans to recruit 225,000 contract soldiers annually
Photo: Russian military (Getty Images)
Russia plans to recruit at least 225,000 contract soldiers into its military each year. These are the Kremlin's plans for the next three years, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
"According to expert estimates, Russian authorities plan to recruit at least 225,000 contract soldiers annually over the next three years. Funds for one-time payments are being allocated in the budget through 2027," he said.
Kovalenko emphasized that this figure reflects Russia's intent not to conduct a general mobilization but to maintain its ability to continue waging war.
A day earlier, the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) published a report that discussed this issue.
According to analysts, the Russian government plans to allocate 90 billion rubles, or $948 million, for one-time payments to those signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. This is planned for the period from 2025 to 2027.
ISW estimates that the Kremlin plans to continue relying on its current cryptomobilization efforts (recruiting soldiers through financial incentives) as long as the system remains effective.
