Sept 18 (Reuters) – The Russian military, seeking contract soldiers for what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, is using mobile recruitment trucks to attract volunteers, offering nearly $3,000 a month as an incentive. A special unit placed one such truck in a central park in the southern Russian city of Rostov on Saturday and removed the sides to reveal a mobile office. Soldiers in camouflage and black masks pointed their weapons at interested passers-by and handed out color leaflets entitled ‘Contractual service – a real man’s choice’. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Neither Russia nor Ukraine disclose their military casualties, which Western intelligence agencies put in the tens of thousands on both sides. Moscow has not updated its official death toll since March 25, when it said 1,351 Russian soldiers were killed and 3,825 wounded. The Kremlin said last week there was no talk of a national mobilization to bolster its forces. read more But the recruitment drive shows Moscow needs more men. The officer in charge of Rostov’s truck said Russians and foreigners aged 18 to 60 with at least a high school education would be eligible. “Citizens with patriotism choose to sign contracts for three or six months to take part in the special military operation,” said Major Sergei Ardashev, promising training for all. A Russian employee stands next to a mobile recruitment center for contract military service in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, September 17, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov read more The minimum monthly salary offered is 160,000 rubles ($2,700), which is almost three times the national average. One potential recruit was musician Viktor Yakunin, who said he had always been attracted to the idea of military service and was now collecting the necessary documents. “I would love to serve in the airborne troops,” he said. “My parents raised me from a child to love my homeland, to protect the Russian world. I believe that the force is with us.” Inside the truck, Yakunin sat down with Ardashev, who told him the next step would be a mental exam. If he passed, there would be a physical test of speed, strength and endurance. If all went well, Yakunin “would get to a military unit, join a certain division (and) from that moment you would start military service.” Outside, young men, some with families, looked at a temporary exhibition showing photos of official heroes of the conflict, next to a large sign reading “Delivering Victory”. ($1 = 59,5000 rubles) Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Report from Reuters. Edited by Guy Faulconbridge and Tomasz Janowski Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
