Russia has introduced year-round conscription, which – according to the military command – is expected to bring in 135,000 new soldiers. However, the generous financial incentives for volunteers, once considered substantial by Russian standards, have come to an end.
According to the newspaper, one of Russia’s militaristic bloggers announced that “a program has been launched in which anyone who brings a friend to sign a military contract will receive 100,000 rubles (approximately 4,500 PLN)”.
Rzeczpospolita points out that despite the Russian army’s great needs, recruitment has declined, while in Ukraine several thousand soldiers are killed or wounded each month.
“Until now, military recruitment relied on the generosity of Russia’s regions, which paid enormous one-time sums to those enlisting. On average, this was the equivalent of over 90,000 PLN, and in some parts of the country even 130,000–170,000 PLN. But now, without warning, the payouts have started to decrease”, writes Rz.
The newspaper emphasized that the Kremlin intends to increase the size of the army by introducing stricter discipline, including classifying a soldier’s two-day absence from a unit as “unauthorized leave” rather than, as before, after ten days.
The autumn conscription period is to last until the end of December. Ultimately, 135,000 recruits are to be drafted into the army. “Without a doubt, by the end of the year, the invasion army will in this way receive at least several thousand new soldiers, which will fully compensate for the decline in volunteer recruitment”, wrote Rz.