Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, stated today that since the beginning of the year, 210,000 men have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense to join Putin’s war in Ukraine. According to Medvedev, over the past two years, an average of 30,000 men per month have enlisted under such contracts.

These contracts offer salaries well above the national average in Russia, along with substantial life and disability insurance benefits—making them an attractive option for large segments of the Russian population.