Cash incentives drive mass recruitment as Russia mobilizes 30,000 monthly for war – intel

Russia mobilizes approximately 30,000 people per month – about 1,000-1,100 daily, reported the deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Vadym Skibitskyi, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.

The Russians are supposedly replenishing losses and forming reserve regiments.

Mobilization in the Russian Federation continues, but it is not carried out en masse, as it was in October-December 2022, he said.

"However, the motivation for Russians to join the army is the salary, especially in crisis regions, where there are either low salaries or no jobs at all," said Skibitskyi.

The captured Russian soldiers often admit that they joined the army because of the money.

"They differ. It all depends on where the unit is located, whether it is conducting combat operations. But the Russians clearly define that a day of combat operations is plus 8,000 rubles ($91) to the salary. If we speak in absolute numbers, then this is approximately 220,000-250,000 rubles ($2,501-2,842) per month. This is for those who directly participate in combat operations of the first line of conflict," the deputy head of the HUR stated.

On December 25, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers registered a bill, which provides for changes to the processes of mobilization, military registration and service.

On January 4, the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence of the Verkhovna Rada began work on the draft law on mobilization. There are questions about the norms on almost all 73 pages of the bill, said committee secretary Roman Kostenko.

On January 11, the parliamentarians were supposed to consider in the first reading the bill on mobilization, taking into account the recommendations of the defense committee. However, at a closed session of the Conciliation Council and a meeting with the military command, it was decided to return the bill to the government for revision. Later, the government withdrew the draft law.