Russia Intensifies Military Recruitment in Occupied Ukrainian Territories

Russian authorities have significantly stepped up efforts to recruit residents from occupied Ukrainian territories into their armed forces, according to a new report from Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD). The recruitment drive combines propaganda events with promises of substantial financial compensation amid deteriorating economic conditions for locals.

The CCD has documented an increase in propaganda activities across occupied regions, with Russian officials distributing materials encouraging Ukrainians to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. The recruitment campaign has specifically targeted students, with so-called “agitation brigades” from the Russian military visiting educational institutions to promote military service through promises of high salaries.

These recruitment efforts come against a backdrop of worsening economic conditions in occupied territories. Residents have reported delays in salary payments, reduction of wages, cancellation of bonuses, and discriminatory compensation practices. Local social media channels have seen an uptick in complaints that workers brought in from Russia receive higher pay than local residents performing identical jobs.

“This creates an economic pressure cooker designed to push desperate people toward military service as their only financial option,” said a Ukrainian defense analyst who requested anonymity. “It’s a calculated strategy that exploits economic vulnerability.”

The CCD characterizes these actions as part of a systematic Kremlin policy with dual objectives: replenishing Russian forces that have sustained significant casualties while simultaneously removing potentially disloyal populations from occupied territories. Military analysts estimate Russian forces have suffered substantial losses since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, creating an urgent need for replacement personnel.

“Moscow is attempting to solve two problems at once,” explained Dr. Mykhailo Pashkov from the Razumkov Centre, a Ukrainian think tank. “They need to compensate for their battlefield losses while also ‘cleansing’ occupied territories of residents who might resist Russian control. By creating economic hardship and then offering military service as the solution, they’re weaponizing economic conditions.”

The recruitment drive represents a significant escalation in Russia’s efforts to integrate occupied Ukrainian territories into its military infrastructure. International humanitarian organizations have previously raised concerns about forced conscription in occupied regions, which may constitute violations of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.

The recruitment campaign coincides with operational challenges for Russian forces. The ATESH partisan movement recently reported disruptions in fuel supplies for Russian troops in occupied Kherson region following a Ukrainian strike on a railway echelon in Hvardiiske. Such logistical difficulties may be intensifying pressure on Russian commanders to secure additional personnel.

Military experts suggest these recruitment efforts reflect Russia’s shift toward a long-term occupation strategy that relies increasingly on local manpower rather than solely Russian forces.

“This is part of Russia’s ‘indigenization’ of the occupation,” said Oleksiy Melnyk, Co-Director of Foreign Relations and International Security Programs at the Razumkov Centre. “By recruiting locals, they hope to reduce the political cost of casualties among Russian citizens while creating a class of Ukrainians with a vested interest in maintaining Russian control.”

Ukrainian officials continue to urge residents in occupied territories to resist recruitment efforts and maintain their Ukrainian identity. Meanwhile, the economic situation in these regions continues to deteriorate under occupation, with essential services frequently disrupted and prices for basic goods soaring well above pre-war levels.

As winter approaches, experts warn that economic pressures may intensify, potentially accelerating Russia’s recruitment campaign in what has become both a military and economic front in the ongoing conflict.