https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/s/83RwdWQF7Y Russian army recruitment plunges as Moscow struggles to fill Ukraine ranks Russia is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit new contract soldiers and hold occupied Ukrainian territory. In Moscow, the number of people willing to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry and go to war against Ukraine fell by one-third in the spring. The same pattern is emerging in the regions. Russian outlet Verstka reported the figures, citing data obtained by its newsroom. Moscow sent 1,708 contract soldiers to the war in April and 1,378 in May. The report said that was 1,000 fewer than in 2025 and roughly in line with 2024 levels, before Moscow began offering million-ruble-level payouts for signing a contract. A source in the Moscow mayor’s office told the outlet that the numbers have continued to fall in June. “Few people are coming in, and even fewer are motivated,” the source said. They also acknowledged that the quality of recruits has deteriorated. Sources said the situation in Moscow reflects the broader picture across Russia. The outlet also quoted a soldier in the occupying army who complained that new contract soldiers are mostly “unable to fight.” One mobilized soldier described them as “homeless people, literally” and “criminals” who cannot be taught anything, making them, as he put it, “disposable.” He also said “new contract soldiers do not live longer than a month unless they get there through connections,” and pointed to a large number of deserters. Various measures are being discussed to address the shortage of people willing to sign contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry, including a new wave of mobilization. The outlet also quoted a soldier in Russia’s occupying army who confirmed that “there are no people; the fools willing to do it for money have run out.” In his view, Russia will face either mobilization “or a deal with loss of ‘face,’ as well as unfulfilled conditions and goals of the so-called ‘special military operation.’” The soldier said “the choice here is obvious.”
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