For its ongoing military effort in Ukraine, Russia is currently spending an estimated $22 million per day on sign-up bonuses alone. Based on official statistics examined by specialists at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), this number shows that new hires in 37 Russian areas typically receive a one-time incentive of approximately 1.4 million rubles, or $15,500, regional budgets cover the great bulk of this recruitment expenditure, which amounts to almost $18.3 million every day. As a result, local governments must set aside over 3% of their yearly budget to satisfy recruitment targets. For the remaining $6.1 million each day, the government budget provides funding.
This massive recruitment drive is necessary to replace the staggering daily casualties Russia is believed to be suffering on the battlefield, with NATO estimates suggesting around 1,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded each day. The recruitment rate of about 1,000 to 1,500 new contract soldiers daily roughly matches these losses, indicating a continuous and costly cycle of replenishment, the high bonuses and monthly salaries—starting at around 210,000 rubles ($2,500)—are designed to attract volunteers despite the well-known risks, including the possibility of dying within the first week of deployment.
Recruitment efforts have intensified dramatically compared to previous years, with spending on recruitment now about five times higher than it was in April 2024, the total recruitment-related expenditure for 2025 is projected to reach $8.9 billion, which is roughly double Russia’s spending on healthcare for the year. This stark comparison highlights the prioritization of military funding over social services amid the prolonged conflict.
The swift depletion of Russia's National Wealth Fund (NWF), which was previously a healthy reserve of about $146 billion, adds to the country's financial difficulties, the fund liquid assets have decreased to about $40 billion as of early 2025, which is the lowest amount since 2008, the NWF has been extensively used to fund recruitment bonuses and military activities, and ongoing sell-offs are endangering Russia's financial stability, according to experts, Russia may run out of liquid reserves by the end of 2025 if present expenditure rates continue, necessitating harsh budget cutbacks or higher borrowing.
This massive recruitment drive is necessary to replace the staggering daily casualties Russia is believed to be suffering on the battlefield, with NATO estimates suggesting around 1,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded each day. The recruitment rate of about 1,000 to 1,500 new contract soldiers daily roughly matches these losses, indicating a continuous and costly cycle of replenishment, the high bonuses and monthly salaries—starting at around 210,000 rubles ($2,500)—are designed to attract volunteers despite the well-known risks, including the possibility of dying within the first week of deployment.
Recruitment efforts have intensified dramatically compared to previous years, with spending on recruitment now about five times higher than it was in April 2024, the total recruitment-related expenditure for 2025 is projected to reach $8.9 billion, which is roughly double Russia’s spending on healthcare for the year. This stark comparison highlights the prioritization of military funding over social services amid the prolonged conflict.
The swift depletion of Russia's National Wealth Fund (NWF), which was previously a healthy reserve of about $146 billion, adds to the country's financial difficulties, the fund liquid assets have decreased to about $40 billion as of early 2025, which is the lowest amount since 2008, the NWF has been extensively used to fund recruitment bonuses and military activities, and ongoing sell-offs are endangering Russia's financial stability, according to experts, Russia may run out of liquid reserves by the end of 2025 if present expenditure rates continue, necessitating harsh budget cutbacks or higher borrowing.
