Russian army recruits record number of contract soldiers
In 2024, the Russian army witnessed a sharp rise in contract soldiers. Data from the federal budget shows that the number of contracts signed with the Ministry of Defense in the first six months of this year has increased sixfold compared to 2023 . In the first half of 2024, 166,200 people signed contracts, a significant jump from the 26,700 in the same period last year.
This surge in recruitment could be influenced by delays in payments, meaning that some new contract soldiers may be counted in the next quarter’s statistics. However, this increase remains a key indicator of the growing recruitment drive.
What’s behind the surge?
One of the primary reasons for this growth is the increase in financial incentives for contract soldiers. Over the summer of 2024, the Russian government raised both federal and regional signing bonuses. The average regional payout has quadrupled since the beginning of the year, reaching 1 million rubles when combined with federal bonuses.
In July, President Vladimir Putin announced that the federal signing bonus would double from 200,000 to 400,000 rubles. Following this, 47 regions across Russia increased their regional payments as well. Now, the average regional payout stands at 596,000 rubles, up from 168,000 rubles at the end of 2023.
Biggest payouts in key regions
In major regions like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Karachay-Cherkessia, new contract soldiers are receiving payouts that exceed 2 million rubles when combining regional and federal incentives. These large payouts make military service under contract particularly attractive.
What does this mean for Russia?
The sharp rise in financial compensation has been a major driver of the increase in contract soldiers. But as recruitment efforts intensify, questions remain about how sustainable these payouts are in the long term and what impact this will have on the country’s military and social landscape.
This surge in recruitment could be influenced by delays in payments, meaning that some new contract soldiers may be counted in the next quarter’s statistics. However, this increase remains a key indicator of the growing recruitment drive.
What’s behind the surge?
One of the primary reasons for this growth is the increase in financial incentives for contract soldiers. Over the summer of 2024, the Russian government raised both federal and regional signing bonuses. The average regional payout has quadrupled since the beginning of the year, reaching 1 million rubles when combined with federal bonuses.
In July, President Vladimir Putin announced that the federal signing bonus would double from 200,000 to 400,000 rubles. Following this, 47 regions across Russia increased their regional payments as well. Now, the average regional payout stands at 596,000 rubles, up from 168,000 rubles at the end of 2023.
Biggest payouts in key regions
In major regions like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Karachay-Cherkessia, new contract soldiers are receiving payouts that exceed 2 million rubles when combining regional and federal incentives. These large payouts make military service under contract particularly attractive.
What does this mean for Russia?
The sharp rise in financial compensation has been a major driver of the increase in contract soldiers. But as recruitment efforts intensify, questions remain about how sustainable these payouts are in the long term and what impact this will have on the country’s military and social landscape.
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