Contract soldiers are being recruited: Budanov revealed how Russia overfulfilled its military recruitment plan in 2025
Kyiv • UNN
Russia reached its 2025 mobilization plan of 403,000 people already in early December, overfulfilling it. The main source of army replenishment is contract soldiers, who are lured by significant payments.
Russia's mobilization plan for 2025 was to recruit 403,000 people – this number was reached in early December. Thus, the Russians will exceed their recruitment plan for the army in 2025. This was stated by the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, in an interview with Suspilne, as reported by UNN.
The head of the GUR emphasized that the main source of replenishment for the Russian army is contract soldiers.
According to Budanov, the Russian mobilization plan for 2026 is to recruit 409,000 people.
When asked whether Russia faces problems in the process of recruiting people for the war, Budanov replied: "Of course. Therefore, they periodically increase the level of one-time payments: it varies depending on the region, but these are significant sums. This is how they lure people into the army."