Russian Army Sees Over Sixfold Increase in Contract Soldiers in One Year

The number of people signing up to serve in the Russian army has skyrocketed, with more than six times as many recruits in 2024 compared to last year.

In the first half of 2024, 166,000 people received a one-time payment for joining, up from just 26,700 during the same period in 2023, according to reports from Russian media.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, revealed that by July 2024, around 190,000 people had signed contracts to serve.

This big jump is linked to major increases in enlistment bonuses.

In August 2024, the federal signing bonus was doubled to $4,144 (400,000 rubles), and regional bonuses have also soared—some going up by four times.

In Moscow, reports from July 2024 indicated a massive one-time bonus of 1.9 million rubles ($21,200) for residents who enlist.

There are even reports suggesting that immigrants are being pressured into joining the military.

However, not everyone is convinced by the numbers.

A recent investigation by Vazhnye istorii claimed that the actual number of new contract soldiers may be overstated by up to 50%.