August M
Some Russian recruits say they were given less than two weeks of preparation before being sent into combat.
Accounts from soldiers, prisoners of war and analysts suggest a system focused on speed and manpower over extended training.
Days, not months
According to reporting by United24 Media, several Russian soldiers have described receiving only minimal preparation before deployment.
“Ivan,” identified as a Russian recruit sent to the front, said: “After all the medical check-ups, they asked me if I was ready to go to the military base the day after tomorrow.”
“They trained us for five days, we waited for another five days for a force rotation, and then we went to [combat] positions.”
US-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has noted that while some recruits receive about a month of training, others are reportedly deployed after only days.
By law, Russian conscripts are meant to complete four months of training before deployment. The US research organization CNA has reported that Russian Defense Ministry regulations require contract soldiers to receive 192 hours of instruction, though implementation varies widely.
Prisoners and foreigners
United24 Media reports that prison recruits have faced especially compressed timelines. In 2023, training periods for recruited prisoners were reduced to ten days. Members of units such as Storm-Z reportedly received 10–15 days of preparation, according to Ukrainian forces.
As of January 2025, up to 180,000 prisoners were serving in the military, according to the outlet.
Foreign nationals have also described short and chaotic training experiences. Recruits from countries including Burundi, Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina told United24 Media they were pressured into signing contracts and moved quickly through basic drills before deployment.
Jean Bosco Akimana, a Burundian national, said: “The next day, the soldiers told us we would start training.”
Waddah Khaled Kareem from Iraq described classes conducted entirely in Russian from morning until evening, saying he did not understand the language and copied others during exercises.
NATO comparison
Training standards differ sharply across countries. In the United States, basic combat training lasts 10 weeks. The UK requires 13 weeks, while France mandates 12 weeks plus additional integration and leave time. Poland provides 28 days of basic training followed by specialist instruction lasting months.
Ukraine, which remains under wartime mobilization, has also extended preparation periods. According to United24 Media, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi increased general training in 2024 to around 1.5 months. By July 2025, new Defense Ministry rules set a minimum of 51 days, including practical and theoretical instruction.
Strategy or strain?
Dylan Comebellick, described by United24 Media as a retired Russian military analyst, argued that Russia lacks a non-commissioned officer corps comparable to NATO systems, limiting decentralized leadership.
“Russia believes that it can win the war by making Ukrainians in Kyiv and other large cities want to quit fighting,” he said.
“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.”
Analysts cited by the outlet suggest that rapid recruitment and high casualty rates have placed pressure on the system, prioritizing immediate manpower over prolonged preparation.
Sources: United24 Media; Institute for the Study of War; CNA.
