Putin Ramps Up Recruitment of Women as Humiliating Losses Mount

Key Points:

• Vladimir Putin has intensified efforts to recruit women into the Russian military amid increased pressure from Ukraine’s summer drone offensive, allowing women to sign military contracts nationwide following a recent rule change.
• Recruitment criteria for women mirror those for men, with requirements including Russian citizenship, ages 18 to 45, secondary education, good health, and no criminal record, though some postings exclude pregnant women or those with young children.
• Regional authorities have employed various tactics, such as encouraging female college students to enlist and advertising specialized roles like drone operators and medical specialists, with some recruitment drives filling rapidly due to high demand.
• Russia has established an all-female drone unit called “Night Witches 2.0,” but many female recruits express disillusionment and reluctance about their military service, highlighting growing dissatisfaction within the armed forces.
• The recruitment push coincides with Ukraine’s intensified drone attacks targeting Russia’s economic infrastructure, causing fuel shortages and repeated strikes on major e-commerce companies, further straining the Kremlin’s resources.