Russians Lured Into War With Wildberries, Ozon Warehouse Security Jobs

Job postings for security guards at Wildberries and Ozon warehouses have reportedly become a new tool for recruiting Russians into the war against Ukraine.According to Russian outlet Verstka on Wednesday, around 2,000 such advertisements have appeared on Avito since Monday, Aug. 17. Almost all carry the same headline: “Warehouse security for Wildberries and Ozon as part of the mog group (mobile fire group).”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“Hurry to sign a contract for a lucrative position with a one-time payment before the start of mobilization processes,” one advertisement says, adding that “vacancies are limited.”Recruiters promise no relocation to UkraineWhen a Verstka journalist contacted one of the phone numbers listed in the advertisements, a recruiter offered a “special contract” with the Russian defense ministry for one year to protect Wildberries warehouses from drones.“We need healthy, clean criminal records, under 40, and very agile young men for security,” the recruiter said, assuring the journalist that those who signed the contract would not be sent to fight in Ukraine.Another recruiter gave a similar assurance.“We need to close down the rear units here. Everything burns down every other day. And for some reason, everyone’s afraid of getting caught in the storming. We have nothing to do with this, and we won’t send you there,” he said, according to Verstka.However, the recruitment process is reportedly identical to that used for military contracts. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine, Russia Swap 103 Prisoners Each in Latest Exchange The exchange is the latest in a series of prisoner and body swaps between Kyiv and Moscow despite the ongoing war. Applicants must first submit the required documents and are then sent to Tula for training. Those who sign the contract are promised a one-time payment of 3.1 million rubles (about $38,000).“Veiled wording” used to bypass Avito moderationSources close to Russia’s recruitment industry told Verstka that the Wildberries and Ozon security vacancies are being used to attract contract soldiers for the war.According to the sources, Avito strictly moderates advertisements related to Russia’s so-called “special military operation,” forcing recruiters to use “veiled wording” to avoid moderation.“This is a typical scam; there are no new procedures at the moment,” a source in the Moscow mayor’s office told Verstka.The latest recruitment tactic comes as Russia faces growing challenges in maintaining the pace of military enlistment.Previously, Russians were reportedly lured into military service through supposedly civilian jobs in Belarus and China, as humanitarian-aid drivers and as “peacekeepers.”The latest tactics have emerged amid a decline in the number of Russians signing contracts with the military.According to estimates by Janis Kluge, an expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, 172,000 people joined the Russian military during the first half of this year – 19,000 fewer, or about 10% less, than during the same period last year.At the same time, sources familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that the Kremlin has set a target of recruiting 409,000 contract soldiers this year.The reported use of civilian-looking job advertisements to attract recruits suggests Russia is increasingly turning to indirect recruitment methods as it seeks to maintain its manpower levels.Notably, Russia could move up to 20,000 combat-ready troops from its border regions to the most active sectors of the Ukrainian front if North Korean forces take over their duties, Ukrainian Volunteer Army spokesperson Serhiy Bratchuk said on Monday.The move would allow Moscow to redeploy Russian units currently stationed along the border to reinforce heavily contested areas. The potential redeployment comes as Russia faces heavy battlefield losses and struggles to maintain recruitment.Ukraine estimated that Russian forces lost about 43,000 troops in July, while its Foreign Intelligence Service said Russia recruited roughly 1,070-1,090 troops per day, below the rate of losses.Zelensky has also warned that Russia could launch a major mobilization after the September 2026 State Duma elections. For now, Moscow appears to be relying on volunteer recruitment to avoid such a move. 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.