Russian businesses ordered to send employees to war or pay fee

Authorities in Russia's Republic of Buryatia are requiring businesses to provide people for the war against Ukraine or pay 100,000 roubles (about US$1,300) per person for "candidate recruitment".

Source: Latvia-based Russian media outlet Meduza, citing the Russian TV channel Dozhd

Details: Dozhd says it has obtained a document titled 2026 Plan for Selecting Candidates for Contract Military Service for the Muysky District in Buryatia.

The document was provided by a source close to the administration of the Russian republic. The source said the Muysky District is just one example and that the same system operates across Russia.

The document specifies how many people work at each company, how many of them are men aged between 20 and 60 and how many employees the company is expected to send to fight in the war against Ukraine.

According to the source, the head of Muysky District "receives a target set by the republican headquarters, after which the local headquarters distributes quotas among businesses, determining how many people each must provide".

Businesses unwilling to send employees to the war can instead sign a contract with a designated company for the "recruitment of candidates for the special military operation". The service costs 100,000 roubles per person. Dozhd notes that this is a substantial sum for local businesses.

State-funded institutions are also required to provide employees. According to the 2026 recruitment plan, the district hospital must supply two staff members. Dozhd notes that Buryatia is already experiencing a shortage of healthcare workers.

A businessman from Siberia described the same system to the broadcaster. He said that business owners were first ordered to provide recruits in 2024, under the threat of "unexpected inspections". In 2025, he said, the authorities introduced a "buyout" scheme, forcing business owners to sign contracts supposedly for recruiting candidates for the war at a cost of 450,000 roubles (about US$5,860) per person.

Buryatia has one of the highest rates among Russia's regions both for participation in the war against Ukraine and for military losses. According to Dozhd, finding people willing to volunteer for the war in the republic is becoming increasingly difficult.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon to help us keep reporting!