At least 427,000 soldiers signed contracts with Russian army in 2024 – Havryliuk

Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"In 2024, at least 427,000 servicemen were recruited into the Russian army under contract. This means that the Russian army was replenished by approximately 36,000 soldiers each month. However, during the last quarter of 2024 and January 2025, the aggressor was losing over 40,000 soldiers on the battlefield in Ukraine every month. In other words, the Russian army is in deficit, not counting mercenaries and soldiers from North Korea," Havryliuk said.

At the same time, he noted that Russia still possesses a huge mobilization reserve. Many Russians continue to enlist, and it does not matter what works better – financial incentives or propaganda.

Havryliuk also said that Russia had transitioned to a full war economy, mobilizing its industries and strengthening its propaganda machine, which remains highly effective.