Russia expands shadow recruitment to sustain army amid losses

Russia’s armed forces are losing an estimated 30,000‑34,000 personnel each month in the war, outpacing the number of new recruits. To avoid a politically sensitive full mobilization, the Kremlin is employing a “shadow mobilization” system. In the Pskov region, men in civilian clothes are being taken in white vans, sometimes coerced at road checks or public spaces, and made to sign military contracts without clear explanations. Independent media and human‑rights groups report that individuals with debts or criminal records are especially targeted.

Recruitment numbers have fallen to roughly 800 contracts per day – the lowest level in three years – while the state has issued decrees obliging large enterprises to encourage employees to enlist. Women are also being recruited through phone calls, text messages and social‑media campaigns run by private agencies linked to military offices. Discussions within Russian authorities hint at a possible new recruitment wave in October, though it would not be formally labeled a mobilization. The shadow system blurs the line between voluntary enlistment and forced service as the war continues.