VORONEZH, Russia – Reports are emerging of increasingly desperate measures by the Kremlin to replenish its forces in Ukraine, including direct pressure on university students to enlist. The situation, first highlighted by reports from Russia, details a concerted effort to recruit young men, offering promises of high salaries and a relatively safe role operating drones, while activists warn of a potential trap leading to frontline combat and a prolonged commitment.
The push comes as Russia continues to face significant challenges in sustaining its military campaign in Ukraine. According to sources, university deans have reportedly resorted to aggressive tactics, including public shaming, to encourage students to sign up. A particularly stark example involved the dean of Voronezh State University of Engineering Technology, who, according to reports, publicly berated male students for not volunteering. The Kremlin has reportedly mandated that universities send 2% of their enrolled students to the war effort.
The recruitment drive centers around the appeal of joining newly formed drone units. Students are being presented with the prospect of a one-year commitment operating unmanned aerial vehicles, far from the immediate dangers of the front lines, coupled with lucrative financial incentives and guaranteed future opportunities. However, legal experts and activists are sounding the alarm, arguing that these promises are misleading and that recruits risk being trapped in a prolonged and dangerous conflict.
Artyom Kliga, a military lawyer with the Movement of Conscientious Objectors, explained that Russian military contracts are effectively open-ended until the decree of mobilization issued by Vladimir Putin in 2022 is lifted – essentially, until the end of the war. “Once signed, there is no option to terminate it,” Kliga warned. He further explained that even after the initial one-year period, contracts are automatically extended, and commanders retain the authority to reassign soldiers to any unit, including frontline infantry battalions.
The reality of drone warfare is also shifting, diminishing the perceived safety of these roles. While initially envisioned as a remote operation, many drone pilots are now operating in trenches, directly participating in assault missions, and becoming prime targets for Ukrainian drone strikes. Kliga concludes that the risk of ending up in a highly dangerous combat situation is “not just theoretical, but an almost inevitable risk.”
Recruiters are reportedly targeting ambitious students seeking career advancement, as well as those facing financial difficulties or academic struggles. The promise of resolving academic issues through military service is a key tactic. Disturbingly, some university administrators have allegedly threatened students with expulsion for refusing to enlist. A video circulating online purportedly shows the director of the Faculty of Innovation at Kazan State University telling students, “Today, the university is over for you, but you have an opportunity: the country needs warriors and believes in you.”
This coercion is driven by quotas imposed by the authorities. Journalist Farida Rustamova estimates that if all universities and technical institutes are required to contribute one student for every fifty enrolled, approximately 76,000 university students would be sent to Ukraine. University administrations are reportedly instructing professors to cooperate and encourage students to enlist, though many educators are quietly resisting.
Student resistance appears to be widespread. Sources indicate that few students are succumbing to the pressure campaign. This suggests that the propaganda and threats are largely ineffective, as successful recruitment stories would likely be publicized. The lack of such publicity indicates a lack of success.
The Kremlin’s turn to universities underscores the growing difficulties the Russian military faces in maintaining troop levels. A source at a Moscow recruitment center told the opposition media outlet Viorstka that recruitment plans have fallen short, with enrollment numbers significantly lower than anticipated. Despite these challenges, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisted this week that a partial mobilization is not currently under consideration, stating that the president will explore all other options before resorting to such an unpopular measure.
The situation at Voronezh State University, and increasingly across Russia, highlights the escalating desperation to bolster troop numbers without resorting to another large-scale mobilization. The promises offered to students – financial security, educational opportunities, and a safe role in drone warfare – are increasingly viewed with skepticism, as activists and legal experts warn of a potential trap that could lead to prolonged military service and a high risk of combat.
The next key development will be observing whether the Kremlin intensifies its recruitment efforts and whether student resistance continues to hold. The coming weeks will likely reveal the extent to which these tactics succeed in bolstering Russia’s forces in Ukraine, and the human cost of this increasingly desperate strategy.
What to look for next: Official statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding recruitment targets and the status of the mobilization decree. Any further reports of coercion or threats against students will also be critical indicators of the Kremlin’s strategy.
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