Russian students duped into signing contracts with military

Russian universities and colleges have been systematically recruiting students for military drone units through deceptive practices since late 2025, with over 200 educational institutions across Russia participating in the campaign. Students are lured with promises of substantial financial incentives including lump-sum payments of up to 5.5 million rubles (approximately $63,000-$70,000), annual payments of 5 million rubles, free tuition, guaranteed discharge after one year, and assurances they will serve exclusively in drone units located away from front lines. Additional incentives include priority admission to master's programs, automatic passing grades via online exams while deployed, and the ability to maintain academic standing.

The recruitment process involves significant deception, with at least 91 universities and 112 vocational schools disguising military recruitment as 'information meetings.' Students are often pulled from classes under false pretexts, sometimes told they are meeting with university officials when actually attending military recruitment sessions. School administrations pressure students, particularly those with academic or financial difficulties, hinting at expulsion or offering to 'solve the problem' by signing a contract. The Russian Ministry of Defense launched this aggressive campus recruitment campaign to staff its newly established Unmanned Systems Forces.

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Legal experts and independent analysts warn that the advertised contract terms are unreliable and potentially deceptive. While contracts are marketed as one-year agreements with guaranteed release, military contracts automatically extend during Russia's ongoing partial mobilization. There is no guarantee that students will actually serve in drone units after signing—those failing selection may be reassigned to infantry or other combat branches. The 'special contract' is essentially a standard military agreement signed before any training or official placement occurs, meaning students commit before confirmation of their actual assignment.

The recruitment campaign has expanded significantly, with at least 203 educational institutions across Russia and annexed Crimea hosting recruitment meetings as of March 2026. Major universities including Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Saint Petersburg State University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, and others have launched drone operator courses or displayed recruitment banners. Some universities have made UAV operator training mandatory for all students. This systematic recruitment of students represents part of Russia's broader military recruitment efforts, with over 80,000 people signing contracts with Russia's Ministry of Defense in early 2026 alone, according to Dmitry Medvedev.