Russia is gathering troops in trucks, recruiting foreigners too
Seven months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow is facing an army crisis. The country has already lost many soldiers in the war. Moreover, the number of injured is not less. Some have fled from the battlefield. Therefore, the country has started collecting troops through special trucks. Contractual appointments are being made in the military with the lure of attractive salaries and various benefits. Apart from Russian citizens, they are recruiting foreigners as well.
Leaflets are routinely distributed in Russia's Rostov region to recruit troops for the war. Enticing offers are also being made to tempt people. The country has been suffering from a troop shortage for almost seven months while carrying out its invasion of Ukraine. And so they are looking for a solution to this problem through contractual recruitment.
Various western intelligence agencies claim that at least 80,000 Russian soldiers died in the war. Many others were injured. In addition, cases of surrender or escape have also occurred. And that created the army crisis.
That is why the recruitment of soldiers is going on through mobile recruiting trucks. Calling the invasion of Ukraine a 'special military operation', citizens are being called to join the army on three- to six-month contracts. The salary is estimated at about three thousand dollars, which is three times the usual.
Sergei Ardasev, head of the Russian Selection Point for Military Service, said, "We are considering all Russian and foreign citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 for military service. We consider him suitable if he has passed at least higher secondary. Basically patriotic citizens are being elected. They will be contracted for three to six months for special military operations. Aspirants will have to undergo mental test first. After that there will be physical examination in three stages.
In the meantime, many Russian citizens have responded to the government's call. An army recruit said that he had a dream to serve in the army since his childhood. Currently he is a musician. But now he is interested in doing contractual work in the Russian armed forces.
However, the Kremlin has not directly acknowledged the troop crisis.
