Russia to exceed 2025 recruitment goal of 403,000 troops — intelligence chief

He shared this in an interview with Suspilne.

Budanov said that Moscow plans to recruit 409,000 people into the military in 2026. According to him, contract soldiers are the main source of replenishment for the Russian army.

At the same time, when asked whether Russia has problems with the recruitment process, the head of Ukrainian intelligence answered affirmatively.

"That's why they periodically increase the level of one-time payments: it varies depending on the region, but these are significant sums. This is how they lure people into the military," Budanov added.

• In the fall of this year, it became known that Russia's autumn conscription is effectively serving as a hidden mobilization - conscripts are converted into contract soldiers within a few months and sent to the front, while the Kremlin avoids openly declaring general mobilization.