Russia is losing contractors: the number of volunteers to the RF army has fallen by 2.5 times

According to hvylya.net: In the new year, the number of Russians who signed contracts with the RF Ministry of Defense has sharply declined. Only 37.9 thousand people received monetary rewards for signing military contracts, which is the lowest figure in two years, an analyst told the publication 'Important Stories'.

Compared to the previous year, this demonstrates a crisis situation in attracting volunteers to the army. In the second quarter of 2024, contracts were signed by 92.8 thousand people, which is almost three times higher than today's figures. This indicates serious problems for the Kremlin in replenishing its military forces against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine.

Decrease in contractors in the RF: reasons and consequences

In the first six months of 2025, only 127.5 thousand people received one-time payments, which is 25% less than last year. This may indicate the depletion of Russia's mobilization reserves, experts of international level noted.

• The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council reported that in the first half of 2025, 210 thousand new contractors were called up to the RF army.
• Various sources estimate the number of recruits at 191 thousand people.

Local mobilization issues in Russia

In certain regions of the country, authorities are facing difficulties in mobilizing the population for various reasons. This may indicate the depletion of Russia's resources and increasing difficulties in conducting aggressive policies regarding Ukraine, experts emphasized.

In particular, the publication 'Bloomberg' analyzed how the war in Ukraine is causing problems for Russia's economy and disrupting the 'war machine' system in the country, parts of which have only just begun to crack.