Russian military turns to "bring a friend" bounties amid recruitment woes

According to information provided by the independent service Wiorstka, in at least nine regions of the Russian Federation, an initiative has been introduced to lure new candidates to the military through a reward system for "referrals." For "bringing a friend," one can receive up to 100,000 rubles (about €1,022).

Individuals who suggest their friends join the armed forces can receive a reward of up to 100,000 rubles (around €1,022). According to an analysis published on Monday by the Wiorstka portal, the most generous rewards for recruiting "volunteers for the special military operation" are offered by the administrations of the Yaroslavl region and Tatarstan.

Thanks to an interview conducted by Wiorstka journalists with contract service recruiting points across Russia, it was revealed that no response was received regarding the programme in sixteen regions. Meanwhile, in two cases, it was confirmed that the programme is either about to be introduced or will appear shortly.

Previous reports indicated that such an initiative had already been implemented in the Voronezh and Yaroslavl regions and Tatarstan. It now turns out that referral rewards for new "volunteers" are also being offered in Yakutia, the Republic of Mordovia, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and the Arkhangelsk, Kaluga, and Ivanovo regions.

The rewards and conditions for granting them vary depending on the location. The smallest amount is about five thousand rubles (around €51), and the largest is one hundred thousand rubles (about €1,022).

As reported by Wiorstka and other independent sources, the Russian army is encountering difficulties in recruiting soldiers for the front despite authorities' denials. In the absence of official announcements about a new wave of mobilisation—the last of which occurred in September 2022—recruitment relies mainly on so-called "volunteers." This process is managed by regional authorities that receive financial resources from the Kremlin.

Recruitment difficulties are also highlighted by the record-high one-time rewards for individuals signing a contract with the military. These figures have significantly increased over the past two years — initially starting at 200,000 rubles. Meanwhile, at the beginning of this year, these rates quickly soared, reaching a record value in Moscow, where the amount of such a payment is as high as 1.9 million rubles (almost €19,491).