Recruitment rates for the Russian army are falling, the Kremlin is forced to increase payments – Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
The Foreign Intelligence Service reports that the recruitment rate of contract soldiers in the Russian Federation has dropped to 800 people per day. To attract recruits, the Kremlin is increasing payments and writing off loans.
In Russia, the pace of contract military recruitment is slowing down, forcing the Kremlin to increase financial incentives and pressure on the population. This was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, according to UNN.
Details
According to the SZRU, in the first quarter of 2026, the Russian Federation signed contracts with approximately 70.5 thousand soldiers, which is less than the plans of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
While in the same quarter of 2025, an average of about 1,200 people enlisted in the army daily, this figure has now dropped to 800–930 against a plan of 1,100–1,150
The SZRU reported that the Kremlin has begun to compensate for the decline in recruitment by increasing payments to new recruits.
More than 40 regions have increased one-time payments to recruits by 30–100%, and in some places by 200–500% relative to the levels of late 2025
At the same time, according to intelligence data, to fund these expenses, Russian regions are cutting spending on the social sphere and communal needs.
Moscow intensifies covert mobilization
The SZRU also drew attention to new incentives for potential contract soldiers. In particular, the Russian State Duma passed a law on writing off overdue loans for military personnel and their spouses.
The potential audience for this incentive is nearly every fourth adult Russian
In parallel, as claimed by the SZRU, Russia is strengthening coercive recruitment mechanisms. In some regions, companies with large workforces are being mandated to send people to the army, while technical and regional universities have been tasked with ensuring that at least 2% of male students sign contracts.
A voluntary contract is becoming increasingly expensive in the literal sense – both for budgets and for the social sphere of the regions
They added that open mobilization remains unlikely for now, however, "the further the pace of voluntary recruitment falls, the more this issue ceases to be hypothetical."