The largest Russian universities should send at least two percent of their students to the war in Ukraine. This goal for rectors was allegedly set by the Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov at the beginning of the year, sources told the Faridaily Telegram channel, writes TASR according to The Moscow Times.
- Russian universities are to send two percent of their students to war.
- Administrators motivate students to sign contracts with the military.
- Students are mainly recruited for unmanned systems units.
- Soldiers fear transfer to assault infantry.
- The Kremlin may resort to forced mobilization due to a lack of recruits.
In 2025, 2.2 million men were enrolled in Russian universities, so 44,000 students should sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense. If technical universities join them, the army should be strengthened by 76 thousand people, notes Faridaily.
Since the end of last year, university and technical school administrators are said to have continuously encouraged students to suspend their studies and sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense. In addition to tempting students with special bonuses, they threaten to refuse to repeat exams.
Students predominate
Students are primarily recruited into Unmanned Systems (VBS) units. According to the army’s plans from November 2025, there should be 78,800 people in them by the end of this year, Važnyje istorii (Important Stories) portal reported. According to documents available to him, 58,000 of them will be former students, graduates of unmanned aircraft courses, former air personnel and “citizens” with appropriate training. The rest will be transferred conscripts and active contract soldiers from other units.
According to pro-war bloggers, VBS recruitment has practically stopped. In the regions, only “a relatively specific contingent, the least suitable to become the backbone of the new high-tech branch of the armed forces,” noted Z-blogger Alexej Čadaev. He added that prospective soldiers refuse to sign contracts for fear of being transferred to the assault infantry and permanent service in the army.
Lawyer Artem Klyga, who specializes in the rights of persons refusing military service, previously noted that the contracts for the VBS units provide for the transfer of personnel to the infantry if they prove unfit to operate drones.
According to the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the current mechanism for recruiting volunteers with high lump sum payments has already become ineffective. In January, the number of new recruits fell below the rate of battlefield losses for the first time since 2022, according to data from Western intelligence services. The Kremlin could therefore resort to forced mobilization.
