Moscow universities have begun urging students to join the BARS [Special Combat Army Reserve] volunteer unit to help counter UAVs. For example, the Moscow branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration sent students and staff an advertisement for the BARS-Moscow unit, promising monthly payments of 200,000 rubles [$2,580], bonuses for downed drones and social benefits for family members. The message states that the contract is with the Ministry of Defense, but that the volunteers "are not military personnel" and supposedly will not be deployed to a combat zone. The Higher School of Economics posted a similar advertisement on its Telegram channel, while the Moscow Aviation Institute placed one...
Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting the deportation of foreigners who have performed contract military service with the Ministry of Defense and participated in combat. The new rules forbid authorities from denying them entry, declaring their stay undesirable, subjecting them to readmission procedures, or shortening their permitted period of stay. They also prevent officials from denying them work patents, work permits, temporary residence permits or permanent residency, and prohibit the cancellation of previously issued documents. The law applies retroactively to decisions issued since Feb. 24, 2022, regarding participants in combat. Earlier this year, lawmakers passed legislation prohibiting the extradition of foreigners who signed...
The 7x7 — Horizontal Russia independent news outlet spoke with residents of the Penza region about the unfolding roundup campaign. According to residents of Spassk, on June 18, the first day of the roundups, Rosgvardia [the Russian National Guard] and draft officials detained anyone walking alone on the city's streets. The following day, they began door-to-door searches, in one instance breaking down an apartment door. Authorities asked the occupants who was officially registered at the residence and when those individuals had registered at the draft office. In Penza, authorities brought the detainees to a draft office at 19 Skladskaya Street. There, personnel beat the men and forced them to sign contracts. Officials issued new...
Authorities in Chuvashia [Russia’s constituent republic] have increased the regional sign-up bonus by 600,000 rubles [$8,110], raising it from 2.5 million rubles [$33,800] to 3.1 million rubles [$41,900]. The higher payment applies to all contracts signed on or after June 22. Including the national bonus of 400,000 rubles [$5,400], recruits signing contracts in Chuvashia can now receive up to 3.5 million rubles [$47,300] in upfront payments. The decree specifies, however, that the increase does not apply to individuals recruited from penal colonies.
Head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov [Russia’s constituent republic], stated that 54,465 people have left the republic for the war against Ukraine, and that 1,410 personnel from the Rosgvardia [Russian National Guard] and 264 employees from the Ministry of Internal Affairs are also on the frontline. According to Minnikhanov, 12,077 people signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense in Tatarstan in 2023, another 12,951 in 2024, and 13,113 in 2025. During the first six months of this year, 5,274 people went to the frontline. Minnikhanov added that, including all forms of support, Tatarstan has spent 91 billion rubles [$1 billion] on the war. In mid-July 2025, Minnikhanov said that about 45,000 residents of Tatarstan had served in the...
An order from the Russian Defense Ministry took effect, tightening medical requirements for those signing military contracts. The ministry added several conditions to the updated list of diseases that disqualify individuals from enlisting during times of war, mobilization or martial law. The conditions include organic, acute psychotic, delusional and schizotypal disorders, as well as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, developmental and behavioral disorders, intellectual disabilities and mental and behavioral disorders caused by psychoactive substance use. Active-duty service members with conditions on the list will not be discharged from service.
In the first three months of 2026, 56 of the 89 regions listed in the Russian Constitution (including the occupied territories of Ukraine) reported budget deficits, according to a report by Russia's Accounts Chamber. A year earlier, 46 regions closed the first quarter with a deficit. In 2022, only six regions recorded such shortfalls. Thirty-five regions showed a high deficit (exceeding 10% of revenue), an increase of 12 from the previous year. Meanwhile, 34 regions recorded a surplus, down 10 from the previous year. Of those, 23 had surpluses of no more than 5 billion rubles [$68.98 million]. The combined surplus of the consolidated regional budgets totaled 140 billion rubles [$2 billion]. This figure represents a 2.4-fold decrease...
Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the authorized strength of the Russian Armed Forces to 2,399,130, including 1,510,000 military personnel. This is the second such expansion in recent months. In March 2026, Putin set the authorized strength at 2,391,770, of which 1,502,640 were military personnel. The latest decree mandates an increase of 7,360 military personnel.
The State Duma [lower house of Russia's Federal Assembly] passed a bill in its third reading that prohibits the deportation of foreigners who served under contract with the Ministry of Defense and participated in combat operations. The amendments prohibit denying them entry, declaring their stay undesirable, deporting them, reducing their permitted stay, or refusing to issue them work permits or temporary or permanent residence permits. The authorities also cannot cancel previously issued documents. The bill will apply retroactively, canceling similar decisions issued since Feb. 24, 2022, against combat veterans.
In the first quarter of 2026, 71,200 people signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense, according to federal budget expenditure data reviewed by Vazhnyye Istorii [IStories], an independent Russian investigative media outlet. Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of people enlisting fell by 20%—in the first quarter of 2025, 89,600 people received sign-up bonuses, compared to 73,300 in the same period of 2024. The federal budget data correlates with regional budget data previously reviewed by Janis Kluge, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. According to his calculations, around 70,500 people may have joined the Russian Armed Forces in the first three months of the year...