Russia encourages students to join the drone unit

Russia is encouraging its domestic students to join the drone units operating in Ukraine, but it emphasizes that this does not mean a full-scale mobilization.

Reuters reported on Thursday (April 2nd) that Russia used generous rewards as an incentive to recruit students from various places to join the drone unit operating in Ukraine, serving as operators and engineers.

The companies in the central Ryazan region were assigned quotas for recruiting personnel for the military.

The Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said that no official documents regarding the recruitment of students and enterprises in the Ryazan region have been seen yet, but he confirmed that the authorities are encouraging students to join the drone unit.

This drone unit was established as a new military branch of the armed forces in response to the request of President Putin at the end of last year.

Peskov told reporters that the recruitment invitation was open to everyone, including workers, students and the unemployed, and they could all sign up to join the drone unit.

The Russia-Ukraine war has entered its fifth year. Reuters reported that this incentive measure indicates that Moscow is adopting a diversified strategy to replenish its military forces. 

However, Moscow stated that this move does not imply a full-scale mobilization. Senior Russian officials said that although Ukraine claims that the rate of eliminating the Russian army exceeds the rate at which the Russian army recruits new soldiers, Russia does not lack new recruits.

The deputy head of the Russian Security Council and former president Medvedev told the state media last week that the conscription system in Russia is still functioning effectively.

The Russian conscription system offers generous financial subsidies to volunteer soldiers. Medvedev said that last year more than 400,000 people signed up to join the military, and so far this year, over 80,000 have done so.