Inside Putin's 'extraordinary' plan to send students to war 'meat grinder'

Russian universities and technical colleges are reportedly becoming a new recruitment ground for soldiers to fight in Ukraine, as the Kremlin struggles to replace significant casualties. Institutions are allegedly introducing quotas, and secret recordings have surfaced online showing academic staff and military officials attempting to enlist students.

In one recording from earlier this year, the director of a Siberian transport college reportedly called a group of 18-year-old students "cowards" for not enlisting. "What are you afraid of? Who made you this scared? Who's gonna protect us?" she is heard saying. "I'm telling you, go [to the army] right now, and then you'll get your diploma. Now go sign a contract."

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What are you afraid of? Who made you this scared? Who's gonna protect us? I'm telling you, go [to the army] right now, and then you'll get your diploma. Now go sign a contract.

Experts suggest this "extraordinary" recruitment strategy highlights Russian President Vladimir Putin's desperation to maintain troop levels. This comes amid financial strains on the government and a resurgent Ukrainian military that has been regaining territory. While official casualty figures are not released by either side, many analysts believe Russia's army has been shrinking.

Reports indicate that the Kremlin is aiming to recruit 2% of male students, offering incentives such as waived tuition fees and expunged poor grades. The independent Russian news outlet Groza has reported that over 250 universities and technical colleges are participating in this recruitment drive, which reportedly began in December. What may have started as encouragement has allegedly escalated into coercion.

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The university said if you agree to fight then you will not be expelled, you can come back to study and the academic debts will be cleared too.

Denis, a 19-year-old university student in Moscow, shared his experience of being offered a contract after failing a subject last semester. He stated that the university informed him that agreeing to fight would prevent his expulsion and clear his academic debts. "It's as if they [the university] just don't allow it on purpose," he said, describing the difficulty of retaking subjects now. "They offered us the option to join the military with some conditions that were just unrealistic."

Denis managed to avoid signing up by taking a gap year, a solution that required the help of a family friend and was not strictly legal. He noted that many of his peers were not as fortunate and did join the military.

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It's as if they [the university] just don't allow it on purpose. They offered us the option to join the military with some conditions that were just unrealistic.