Russia has failed to meet its military recruitment goals for 2024, according to statements by Dmitry Medvedev. Approximately 450,000 individuals signed contracts for military service, while an additional 40,000 joined volunteer formations. However, these numbers fall significantly short of the annual target of 745,000 contract servicemen, leaving a shortfall of nearly 300,000 personnel.
Recruitment Figures and Challenges
The lack of precise official data for 2022 complicates efforts to assess previous recruitment campaigns. By December 2022, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported over 640,000 contract servicemen within its armed forces. Meanwhile, the private military company Wagner played a significant role in bolstering Russia’s combat capacity, reportedly growing its ranks to around 50,000 fighters by the end of 2022. This figure included professional mercenaries and recruited convicts. U.S. intelligence estimated that Wagner had recruited 40,000 prisoners by January 2023, while Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin later claimed the figure reached 50,000.
Wagner’s convict recruits were instrumental in Russia’s offensives during late 2022 and early 2023. However, the group faced devastating losses, with the BBC estimating over 60,000 Wagner fighters killed in action during 2022-2023.
Increased Recruitment in 2023
In 2023, Russia intensified its recruitment efforts for the conflict in Ukraine. By December, 490,000 individuals had signed contracts or volunteered for military service, bringing the total number of contract servicemen and volunteers for the year to 1.14 million. Including 2024 recruitment data, the cumulative figure reached 1.6 million.
Partial Mobilization and Deployment
Russia’s partial mobilization, announced in September 2022, added 302,503 personnel to its military ranks, including 33,000 who volunteered without summons. By December 2023, around 244,000 mobilized troops were stationed in the conflict zone. This figure reportedly rose to 700,000 by June 2024, according to Russian authorities. In December 2023, President Vladimir Putin stated that 617,000 troops were deployed in Ukraine.
Heavy Losses in Ukraine
The scale of Russia’s battlefield losses remains a contentious issue. U.S. officials estimate that Russia may have lost over 600,000 personnel killed or wounded since the conflict began. A joint investigation by the BBC and independent outlet Mediazona identified 90,019 confirmed Russian military deaths as of January 2025. Of these, 23% were contract servicemen, while volunteers accounted for 14% of total losses by late 2023.
Sustainability of Military Operations
Russia’s struggles to meet recruitment targets and its significant battlefield losses raise questions about the sustainability of its military operations in Ukraine. The ongoing conflict continues to strain Russia’s military resources and personnel, highlighting the challenges of maintaining its current level of engagement.
