August M
New testimonies from Russian recruits and foreign fighters are raising concerns about how quickly some troops are sent into combat.Accounts suggest that in certain cases, preparation for the battlefield lasts little more than a week.
According to United24 Media, some Russian soldiers received between five and ten days of training before deployment. “After all the medical check-ups, they asked me if I was ready to go to the military base the day after tomorrow,” said Ivan, a recruit sent to the front.
“They trained us for five days, we waited for another five days for a force rotation, and then we went to [combat] positions.”
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has also reported instances in which recruits underwent only brief preparation, sometimes measured in days rather than months.
Rules and reductions
Russian law states that conscripts should complete four months of training before deployment. Research organisation CNA has reported that Defence Ministry regulations require 192 hours of instruction for contract soldiers.
However, United24 Media writes that implementation varies widely depending on role and location. While specialised personnel may receive longer preparation, others are reportedly deployed quickly.
In 2023, training periods for recruited prisoners were reduced to ten days, the outlet reported. Ukrainian officials have said members of units such as Storm-Z were given between 10 and 15 days of instruction.
Foreign testimonies
United24 Media also cited accounts from foreign nationals who said they were misled or pressured into signing military contracts.
Jean Bosco Akimana, a Burundian national, said: “The next day, the soldiers told us we would start training.” Others, including Waddah Khaled Kareem from Iraq, described difficulties understanding Russian-language instruction.
Russia has introduced fast-track citizenship for foreign volunteers, though analysts cited by the outlet say some recruits were promised non-combat roles before being sent to frontline units.
Comparing systems
Training standards in NATO countries are typically longer. Basic training lasts around 10 weeks in the United States and 13 weeks in the United Kingdom, with additional specialist preparation required before combat deployment.
Ukraine, which remains under full-scale invasion, has adjusted its training timelines but maintains a minimum preparation period. By mid-2025, new rules set the baseline at 51 days, according to United24 Media.
Military analyst Dylan Comebellick said: “Russia believes that it can win the war by making Ukrainians in Kyiv and other large cities want to quit fighting.”
He added: “It’s not so much that Russia has to train troops quickly, but that it has to fill spots in the line quickly with untrained troops.”
Sources: United24 Media, ISW, CNA
