Russia's drive to fill its army for the war in Ukraine has grown into a profitable trade for private firms and middlemen paid for each soldier they sign up, according to an investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Regional and local authorities pay bonuses to people who bring in contract soldiers, with some recruiters reportedly earning up to 1.25 million roubles per recruit, many times the average monthly wage. Independent outlet Important Stories estimates at least 8 billion roubles has been spent on such incentives since late 2024.
Rights advocates and former recruiters told RFE/RL the system can target vulnerable people. The report cites the case of a man from Bashkortostan with a lifelong mental illness who stopped contacting relatives in October after passing a military medical. His family says he could not have understood the contract.
Source: RFE/RL
