Russia recruits ‘volunteers’ through PMCs to avoid unpopular mobilisations – UK intel

The relevant statement was made by the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom on the social media platform X, referring to the latest Defence Intelligence update, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In particular, PMC Redut is recruiting mercenaries under the guise of ‘volunteers’, including former Wagner personnel.

Russia’s general staff main intelligence directorate (GRU) likely supervises and finances the group’s activities, including its recruitment, the UK intelligence noted.

Since the start of the Russia invasion, Redut has been involved in combat operations in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Luhansk regions. The group highly likely has over 7,000 personnel, according to the analysts.

At present, Redut is one of a number of PMCs and Volunteer Corps units being utilised by Russia’s defence ministry to augment Russian regular forces.

“It is a realistic possibility that the Russian Ministry of Defence’s practise of recruiting through ‘volunteer’ units has contributed to Russia avoiding further unpopular mobilizations,” the UK intelligence concluded.

A reminder that, between February 24, 2022 and October 16, 2023, Russia’s total combat losses in Ukraine reached about 288,630 troops.