The Russian Federation plans to recruit more than 200 thousand contract soldiers in three years – media

Russia plans to increase the number of contract military personnel by at least 225 thousand people in the next three years. This was reported on Friday, October 4, by Important Stories with reference to data from the draft budget of the Russian Federation.

As the journalists discovered, the Russian authorities set aside 90 billion rubles for a one-time payment for the conclusion of a contract with the Ministry of Defense – 30 billion rubles annually. This is mentioned in the draft federal budget expenditures for 2025-2027.

It is now mentioned that the one-time federal payment for the conclusion of a contract is 400 thousand rubles. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin raised it to that level on July 31, from 195,000 previously.

“If the payment does not change, then the promised funds will be enough to recruit 225 thousand new contract soldiers for three years If they pay 195 thousand rubles for the end of a contract, as before , it will allow recruiting 461.5 thousand people. – note in the publication.

It is said that last year alone, 345 thousand people signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry. From the beginning of 2023 to the middle of 2024, the number of new contract soldiers reached 511 thousand people, and the amount planned in the budget may increase.

The publication also emphasized that the Russian Ministry of Defense may overestimate the number of contract soldiers. By April 2024, 640 thousand people had reportedly signed contracts, but only 426 thousand people had received payments.

Let’s remember that in September Putin ordered to increase the staff level of the Russian army to 2 million 389 thousand people.

The last time Putin increased the size of the Russian army was in December 2023. Then it increased by 170 thousand people.