In 2024, the number of new recruits joining the Russian Armed Forces is decreasing, according to Russian media reports
By the end of the year, independent publication "Vazhnyye Istorii" estimates that approximately 407,000 Russians have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence. This is significantly lower than previous expectations and official statements, which promised a substantial increase in personnel. Although 2024 is not yet over, analysis indicates that the pace of recruiting contract soldiers is beginning to decline noticeably. From October to December, the average daily recruitment was about 1,700 people, almost 1.3 times less than during the same period in 2023. Regional sources also report that recruitment rates during the spring months of 2025 have fallen even further. Despite official claims by President Vladimir Putin of a twofold increase in "volunteers" — up to 1,800 recruits per day — independent analysts and researchers remain skeptical of these figures. Specifically, German expert Janis Kluge, who specializes in assessing the mobilization rate in the Russian army, notes that the actual number of contract soldiers signing agreements across Russia today is approximately 1,000 per day. This is significantly lower than official Russian government claims, which continue to cite higher figures, often exaggerating the scale of mobilization processes. According to Ukrainian intelligence, as of November 2024, the Russian ground forces engaged in fighting against Ukraine numbered nearly 580,000 personnel, including the personnel in the Kursk region. In June 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that about 700,000 Russians were fighting on Ukrainian territory. Earlier, in December 2023, reports indicated that approximately 617,000 military personnel were participating in the war under the directives of the leadership. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Putin mentioned Russian military losses of around 20,000 personnel each month, roughly equal to the monthly number of new recruits Russia is signing in 2024. Thus, the trend of declining recruitment rates for the Russian armed forces remains evident. This may reflect resource exhaustion or difficulties in mobilizing new troops, considering the intense fighting and economic pressures on the country. Russian authorities attempt to conceal the true situation through official statements and propaganda, but independent sources continue to record reductions in recruitment pace and challenges in attracting new contract soldiers. At the same time, data on casualties at the front indicate resource depletion within the Russian army and approaching critical limits in maintaining a combat-ready force for prolonged warfare.