---
title: "The Headhunters' Race: Number of Russian Regions Paying Recruiters Rises to 56 Amid Mobilization Crisis"
description: "🚨 In Russia, the number of regions paying recruiters has risen to 56. The Smolensk region raised fees by 10 times — to 1 million rubles. Contract recruitment has dropped to a three-year low, with army losses reaching 40,000 per month. Coercive \"raids\" on men have begun in several regions. Experts predict a new mobilization. #Russia #War #Mobilization"
date: 2026-08-07T13:38:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russia-regions-recruiter-payments-56-regions-2026-en
tags: [russia-war, mobilization, recruitment, ukraine-conflict, smolensk, economy]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# The Headhunters' Race: Number of Russian Regions Paying Recruiters Rises to 56 Amid Mobilization Crisis

![A group of Russian soldiers in camouflage uniforms and caps with emblems, marching in a column against the backdrop of white buses, illustrating the theme of mobilization crisis and recruitment in Russian regions.](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/07/rossiya-regiony-vyplaty-verbovshchikam-56-regionov-2026/rossiya-regiony-vyplaty-verbovshchikam-56-regionov-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The number of Russian regions paying recruiters has grown from 31 to 56.
- In the Smolensk region, the recruitment reward increased by 10 times.
- Volunteer recruitment has dropped to a three-year minimum.
- Forced "raids" on men have begun in several regions.
- Experts link the rise in payments to the risk of a new mobilization.

The situation regarding the recruitment of personnel for the Russian armed forces in August 2026 has reached a critical point, forcing regional authorities to resort to unprecedented financial incentives. According to The Moscow Times, cited by RBC-Ukraine, the number of Russian regions practicing payments for recruiting soldiers for the war against Ukraine has nearly doubled. If there were 31 such regions in August 2025, this figure has now reached 56. Experts link this surge to a sharp decline in the number of volunteers and the need to cover massive frontline losses without announcing a new nationwide mobilization.

### Financial Race and the "Smolensk Phenomenon"

The most dramatic changes have occurred in subsidized regions attempting to poach candidates from wealthier areas. A striking example is the Smolensk region, where the reward for recruiters ("headhunters") has increased tenfold — from 115,000 to 1 million rubles per contract soldier. Furthermore, the region has increased direct payments to the soldiers themselves: from 1.6 to 2.1 million rubles. In 2026, eight regions revised their payment programs upwards, with some doing so multiple times in an attempt to meet Ministry of Defense plans at any cost.

### Shadow Schemes and "Recruiting" Agencies

The structure of payments in Russia has become extremely uneven. In 38 out of 56 regions, recruitment rewards are stipulated in official municipal programs. However, in 18 subjects, payments are made through shadow schemes — private recruiting agencies. Over the years of the war, about 100,000 such firms have been created in the country, which often serve as a legal "cover" for illegal recruitment. In the Kemerovo region, for example, authorities equalized payments for law enforcement officers and civilian recruiters, setting a single high rate to stimulate all government employees to recruit people.

### Volunteer Crisis and Coercive Methods

The increase in payments occurs against the backdrop of a catastrophic decline in the number of volunteers. According to German economist Janis Kluge, the recruitment of contract soldiers has fallen to the lowest levels in three years. In the first half of 2026, regions managed to recruit only about 200,000 people, which does not cover the army's monthly losses, which have reached 40,000. In response, authorities in several regions, including Penza, Rostov, and Novosibirsk, have resorted to coercive methods: in July, mass "raids" on men took place, forcing them to sign contracts under threat of criminal prosecution or administrative pressure.

### Contradictory Data

There is a discrepancy in assessments of the effectiveness of current recruitment policy. On the one hand, human rights defenders and independent experts claim that regions have received a direct order to conduct aggressive recruitment, as "if recruitment fails, mobilization will be carried out." On the other hand, official sources often gloss over the real picture, not acknowledging the shortage of personnel. Economist Dmitry Nekrasov believes that the race for payments is only a temporary measure designed to postpone the inevitable new wave of mobilization, as financial incentives have already exhausted their appeal to the population.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [In Russia, the number of regions where "contract hunters" operate has almost doubled, — media](https://ukranews.com/news/1167434-v-rf-pochti-vdvoe-vyroslo-chislo-regionov-gde-dejstvuyut-ohotniki-za-kontraktnikami-smi) - Источник подтверждает рост числа регионов с 31 до 56 и упоминает Смоленскую область как пример резкого роста выплат.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How many Russian regions are currently paying recruiters?
**A:** As of August 2026, there are 56 such regions.

### Q: How much is paid for recruitment in the Smolensk region?
**A:** In the Smolensk region, the reward for recruiters has been increased to 1 million rubles.

### Q: Why are regions increasing payments?
**A:** Payments are increasing due to a sharp decline in the number of volunteers and the need to cover frontline losses.