Russia looks to students to make up for mounting losses in Ukraine

Key Points:

• Russia has launched a large-scale recruitment drive targeting university and college students, particularly those struggling academically, to join its drone forces as part of sustaining its war effort in Ukraine.
• Despite being presented as a safer, high-tech role with a one-year contract and financial incentives, many young recruits like Valery Averin, Vladislav Gorbunov, and Rakhim Abdullin have been killed shortly after deployment, often being sent to frontline combat instead of drone operations.
• Official figures verified by the BBC indicate over 230,000 Russian military deaths, with experts estimating the true toll could be between 417,000 and 509,500; drone operators have suffered significant casualties, with at least 920 confirmed deaths since the invasion began.
• Recruitment campaigns emphasize benefits such as large payments, technical training, and educational advantages, but legal experts warn that contracts are effectively extended indefinitely under mobilisation rules, and recruits may be reassigned to more dangerous infantry roles.
• The targeting of students highlights the deepening impact of the war on civilian institutions in Russia, as young men are pressured or incentivized to join the military, often under misleading promises of safety and short service.