The Kremlin’s determination to fully capture at least four Ukrainian regions is pushing military authorities to resort to increasingly deceptive and “creative” recruitment tactics. To increase the number of troops sent into so-called “meat assaults,” Russian authorities have launched a new scheme disguised as hiring “staff” for well-paid jobs in rear areas. However, as the independent outlet Verstka has revealed, there are no guarantees that recruits will actually be assigned to “safe” positions.
The essence of this new scheme involves luring men into signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense via civilian platforms like Avito (a popular classifieds site) and others. Job postings from accounts named “Defenders of the Motherland,” “RussianMinistryofDefense,” or “ZOV – Rear Guard” promise rear-line service — such as drivers for humanitarian aid, fortification builders, guards for “new territories,” plumbers, and more. Advertised salaries range from 260,000 to 800,000 rubles per month.
A source in Moscow’s mayor’s office told Verstka that this type of recruitment began about two weeks before May 9 (Victory Day). “This wasn’t happening before, and now literally every day someone says: I’m just going [to the war] as a plumber. It’s obviously a complete scam — one hundred percent,” said the source familiar with army recruitment data.
Journalists note that people from various Russian regions are showing up at the contract enlistment center on Yablochkova Street in Moscow, even though the Avito listings usually make it clear that this involves military service and signing a contract with the Defense Ministry.
This deception has intensified due to increased competition among recruiters, another source from the mayor’s office explained. The primary goal of the military, he said, is to “lure people to the enlistment office.” Recruiters coordinate with dozens of contractors to deliver as many people as possible to the recruitment centers. As a result, the contracts offered to men who believe they’re signing up for easy money are no different from standard army contracts, and assignment decisions are made directly by unit commanders and training centers.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has effectively rejected any ceasefire in Ukraine, claimed that Moscow is sending nearly twice as many troops to the front as Kyiv. “They’re trying to round up 30,000 people there [through ‘forced mobilization’], while we have 50–60 thousand coming voluntarily every month,” he said at a meeting with members of “Business Russia.” However, Western intelligence estimates the actual number to be no more than 30–40 thousand — just enough to replenish the heavy losses sustained by Russian forces. Large upfront bonuses remain the main incentive for signing contracts.
