‘If Recruitment Fails, There Will Be Mobilization’: Russian Regions Ramp Up Cash Bonuses for War Recruiters

More than half of Russia’s regions are now paying cash bonuses to people who recruit contract soldiers for the war against Ukraine, with some offering up to 1 million rubles ($22,200) per recruit as volunteer enlistment continues to slow. By August 2026, 56 Russian regions had introduced recruitment rewards, up from 31 regions a year earlier, according to the analysis conducted by The Moscow Times. The sharpest increase came in the heavily subsidized Smolensk region, where recruiter bonuses jumped nearly tenfold.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. In 38 regions, the payments are backed by official regional or municipal programs through governors’ decrees and government resolutions. Another 19 regions reportedly rely on private recruiting agencies to distribute the bonuses. “Governors begin pressuring businesses to contribute money to special funds because they need it for recruitment,” Sergei Krivenko, head of the human rights group Citizen. Army. Law, told The Moscow Times. He said the payments appear to be financed outside the federal budget and are disguised under other spending categories. Several regions raised recruiter bonuses this year, with Smolensk increasing payments from 115,000 rubles ($2,550) to 1 million rubles ($22,200). The region also boosted signing bonuses for contract soldiers from 1.6 million rubles (about $20,000) to 2.1 million rubles (about $26,000) Other regions that increased recruiter incentives include Samara, Ryazan, Saratov, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, Kemerovo and the Altai Republic. Other Topics of Interest Wildberries Hit Again: Ukrainian Drones Reach Warehouse More Than 2,000 Kilometers Inside Russia The attack took place more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine’s border, marking the latest reported strike on Wildberries infrastructure deep inside Russia. The programs differ widely across Russia. Some regions reward anyone who recruits a volunteer, while others limit payments to government employees or law enforcement personnel. In Magadan region, for example, only employees of the Interior Ministry, National Guard, prison service, bailiffs and local authorities qualify for the bonus. Many regions also pay significantly more for recruits brought in from outside the region or from abroad. In Ryazan region, recruiters now receive 804,598 rubles for signing up a Russian from another region or a foreign national from outside the former Soviet Union, compared with just 57,471 rubles for recruiting a local resident. Similar policies are in place in Blagoveshchensk and Sverdlovsk region, where payments for non-local recruits are several times higher. Krivenko said the aggressive financial incentives reflect mounting pressure on regional authorities to maintain troop numbers. “If recruitment fails, there will be mobilization,” he said. “That is why the regions have been instructed to conduct aggressive recruitment campaigns, while the state turns a blind eye to violations of the law during coercive recruitment.” Economist Dmitry Nekrasov argued that Russia still has room to increase payments further. “Even one million rubles is not the limit,” he said, arguing that higher bonuses remain affordable compared with the overall cost of deploying a contract soldier. The competition among recruiters comes as voluntary enlistment continues to decline. German economist Janis Kluge estimates that recruitment of contract soldiers has fallen to its lowest level in three years. Kremlin Signals Broader Mobilization Push The surge in recruitment bonuses comes as the Kremlin appears to be preparing for a broader mobilization effort. According to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), recent legislation and proposed expansions of Russia’s internal security powers suggest Moscow is laying the legal groundwork to increase military recruitment while preparing to suppress potential public unrest if a formal mobilization is announced. In June, Russia’s State Duma approved a bill allowing people with active criminal records – including those convicted of drug trafficking and organized crime – to sign Defense Ministry contracts during periods of formal mobilization. Deputy Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin said the measure would expand the pool of recruits for Russia’s war against Ukraine. ISW also noted that Rosgvardia has sought broader powers to respond to unspecified “dangers” during mobilization, martial law and wartime. The think tank said the measures build on legislation signed by Vladimir Putin in late 2025 allowing reservists to be sent into combat without declaring nationwide mobilization, suggesting the Kremlin is expanding its options as volunteer recruitment continues to weaken. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.