Millions for a Signature: The Role of Russian Regions in Recruitment

Abstract

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, recruiting new soldiers has been a critical task for the Russian government. Regional governments play a key role in this effort: A unique dataset of 37 Russian regions shows that regional budget spending on enlistment bonuses dramatically increased in 2024. While some regions are offering millions of rubles to new soldiers, others display much less urgency One possible explanation for this divergence is that the Kremlin is setting recruitment targets that only some regional governments are struggling to meet. The budget data indicate that higher sign-on bonuses are effective and that the pace of recruitment increased toward the end of 2024.