Moscow, January 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: Russia has successfully recruited nearly half a million individuals for military service in 2024, according to Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, who made the announcement on Friday. A total of 450,000 individuals signed contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, while an additional 40,000 volunteered specifically for deployment in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The rate of enlistment, averaging over 1,000 recruits per day, has enabled Russia to meet its military staffing goals for the year. Medvedev emphasized the importance of continuing this recruitment momentum into 2025 to maintain the country’s military readiness.
Medvedev also expressed gratitude to the recruits, commending their “steadfastness, courage, and true brotherhood in the face of challenges.” He highlighted these qualities as the core of Russia’s national identity and crucial to the country’s belief in victory.
Furthermore, Medvedev instructed both federal and regional officials to ensure that troops receive necessary support both on the battlefield and after retiring from military service.
The Russian government has contrasted its success in voluntary military recruitment with Ukraine’s use of forced conscription, which has faced public resistance. Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously criticized Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, stating that Ukrainian leaders are “draining the country white” by treating their citizens as expendable.
Putin also remarked on the fact that the relatives of Ukraine’s ruling elites largely live abroad, asserting that they can easily avoid conscription. He accused Ukrainian officials of using nationalist rhetoric as a cover to deceive the public.
In a related development, the Ukrainian border guard service reported intercepting an individual who attempted to flee the country with falsified documents, claiming to have three young children, which would have exempted him from conscription.
In response to challenges in meeting conscription quotas, Ukraine reformed its military service last year, introducing harsher penalties for draft evasion in an effort to boost enlistment numbers.
