Hunting for cannon fodder: How Russia's private recruitment market for the war in Ukraine really works

Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine has led to a surge in private recruitment for soldiers, with the army losing tens of thousands of servicemen each month. As the state cannot meet the demand for replacements through regular recruitment, it funds organizations that seek out and recruit individuals for the war. Mediazona and the BBC have confirmed the deaths of 242,747 Russian servicemen, with actual monthly losses exceeding 30,000.

The Insider has reconstructed the chain of money flow from regional budgets to intermediaries and ultimately to the individuals who bring recruits to military enlistment offices.

Organizations like Ivanovo's Center for Creative Solutions received subsidies to recruit and select contract soldiers. In 2025, the organization received a 260 million ruble ($3.1 million) subsidy from the Ivanovo region and 1.06 billion rubles ($12.5 million) from the Moscow region. These funds are then outsourced to private contractors, who often subcontract the work.

One such subcontractor is a businessman in Nizhny Novgorod who was awarded 590,000 rubles ($7,000) for each contract soldier, with a total of 42 people completed under two certificates.

Recruiters target vulnerable individuals, including former prisoners, Wagner PMC members, bankrupts, microfinance clients, and socially disadvantaged groups. They often use advertising platforms and social media to find potential targets. The payment for a contract soldier varies depending on the region, with some recruiters receiving as much as 1.25 million rubles ($14,700) for a person who signs a contract.

The Insider's examination of court records, NGO reports, and internal materials from recruitment agencies reveals the extent of this market, which relies on the recruitment of vulnerable individuals.