Russia recruits soldiers for war in Ukraine under new scheme — investigation

Journalists noted that potential mercenaries now have a choice: they can sign a voluntary contract under the existing Redut system or opt for a previously unknown structure called DobroKor (short for Dobrovolcheskii Korpus “Volunteer Corps”), which is controlled by the Main Directorate of the Russian General Staff (GRU). DobroKor reportedly includes 27 separate units recruiting fighters under this new scheme.

“DobroKor units are fighting on nearly all fronts: Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson,” the investigation wrote.

"They have also been involved in combat in Russia’s Kursk Oblast."

The journalists indicated that the main DobroKor 'supervisor' is Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev, GRU deputy head. Another senior commander of the “corps” is ex-GRU colonel and former mayor of Tambov, Alexei Kondratyev.

DobroKor promises recruits a more "official" military status, access to social benefits, and regional payments. However, it is reportedly impossible to terminate the contract early, and promised payments often go unfulfilled.

The investigation includes testimony from a recruiter named Irina from the so-called Union of Donbas Volunteers. She explained that DobroKor fighters sign a contract “to serve in a volunteer unit” through a military enlistment office. Early termination is nearly impossible without consequences.

“There’s no way to run — or if you do, it won’t be pretty,” she said.

Irina also noted that DobroKor typically recruits men willing to sign year-long contracts in exchange for regional bonus payments.

Salaries are paid via bank cards, and upon completing the contract — whether through Redut or DobroKor — fighters can apply for combat veteran status.

Journalists reminded that in addition to DobroKor and Redut, there’s a third recruitment path: BARS. By fall 2023, the number of BARS units had grown to several dozen. The key difference between the systems lies in their management structures, the report says.

The primary role of these "volunteers" is to distract and exhaust the enemy. As former so-called DPR leader Alexander Borodai put it, they are “just manpower to be expended.”

As of various estimates, the average lifespan of a new Russian recruit on the front line is one to two months.

As of the morning of July 18, Ukraine’s General Staff estimated Russian military losses at approximately 1,039,830 killed or wounded. In the previous 24 hours alone, Russia reportedly lost around 1,180 soldiers.

On June 12, Ukraine’s military confirmed that Russian losses had surpassed 1 million.

Ukraine’s Kraken military intelligence unit stated that the symbolic "millionth occupier" eliminated by Ukrainian forces was marine Sergey Mashanenkov.

On July 10, The Economist reported that during Russia’s so-called summer offensive, which began May 1, the Russian military may have lost up to 31,000 troops — more than in any other phase of the war.