(Moscow) Around 385,000 people enlisted in the Russian army in 2023 and Russia intends, in the midst of the conflict in Ukraine, to continue recruiting in 2024, indicated former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, saying he is in charge of case.
“According to the Ministry of Defense, from 1er January to October 25 of this year […] almost 385,000 people have enlisted to serve,” Mr. Medvedev said at a meeting, excerpts of which he posted on Telegram.
These include 305,000 people who signed a contract directly with the Ministry of Defense and 80,000 “volunteers”, a term generally used for people fighting in the ranks of paramilitary groups like Wagner, he said. precise.
The former head of state, who has increased his anti-Western positions and threats since the start of the offensive in Ukraine, is currently number two on the Russian Security Council.
“The strong patriotic spirit and the desire of the country’s citizens to defend their homeland allow us to continue recruiting,” Mr. Medvedev said.
According to the ex-president, Vladimir Putin entrusted him with the task of continuing to increase troops in 2024 by forming a new army corps, seven divisions, 19 brigades, 49 regiments and a flotilla.
After mobilizing some 300,000 reservists from September 2022, the Russian authorities, despite significant losses in Ukraine, avoided decreeing a new mobilization.
Instead, the Russian army has been carrying out a vast voluntary recruitment campaign since the spring, with a lot of advertising in the streets and on the internet, promising particularly attractive salaries and social and banking benefits to future soldiers.
Ukraine estimates that some 400,000 Russian troops are deployed on its territory, occupying parts of the east and south of the country.
Russia has never indicated how many men have fought in Ukraine since February 2022 or really communicated its losses.
The West estimated the initial force that Moscow committed to the Ukraine offensive at more than 150,000 soldiers. Since September 2023, Russia has mobilized 300,000 troops and signed 385,000 contracts.