Russian Airports Begin Checking Military Registration Statuses, Activists Report

Russian security forces are checking men’s military registration status at airports and issuing conscription notices to some new citizens, according to the Russian organization OTPOR, which provides legal assistance to people seeking to avoid mobilization.

Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh has shared a message from the OTPOR, saying activists have documented cases at Koltsovo Airport in Yekaterinburg in which men who recently acquired Russian citizenship were served with conscription notices upon arrival.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Interior Ministry has officially confirmed the establishment of 17 migration control points at airports across the country.

However, reports that military enlistment officers are permanently stationed at all Russian airports have not yet been verified.

The situation echoes events in 2022, when a mobile military enlistment office was set up at the Verkhny Lars border checkpoint with Georgia. At the time, men attempting to leave Russia were reportedly served with conscription notices.

“Now, additional checks are being conducted at airports as well. This is evidence of a new wave of mobilization and another reason to closely monitor what is happening,” the report added.

Russia turns to covert mobilization as contract recruitment falters

Russia could recruit up to 600,000 additional military personnel in stages in 2026-27, with 300,000 targeted for each year, according to Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), cited by Ukrainska Pravda.

Other Topics of Interest

Ukraine, Russia Near Deal to Evacuate Civilians From Occupied Oleshky

Ukraine and Russia are finalizing arrangements for a ceasefire and civilian evacuations from Oleshky and six nearby settlements.

Rather than announce another open mobilization, the Kremlin is increasingly relying on covert recruitment, financial incentives, and pressure on vulnerable groups.

Contract recruitment is losing effectiveness, according to the report. Russia recruited 71,216 service members in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest figure in three years. Regional enlistment bonuses have risen 25% from 2025 to approximately $16,000-$18,500, while convicts signing military contracts can receive about $12,500.

However, the pool of recruits among indebted people, convicts and migrants has shrunk by 30-40%, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

A campaign to recruit university students for drone warfare units also fell short, with the military securing only 25% of its target. According to Russian outlet DOXA, recruiters pressured students through university administrations, particularly targeting those with academic arrears or facing expulsion, despite promises of financial rewards and tuition-free education.

Moreover, Moscow is expanding recruitment abroad. Russia is recruiting foreign nationals from post-Soviet countries and nations across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Domestically, authorities are targeting financially vulnerable people and expanding coercive measures. These include individuals with debts, loans, or unpaid child support, as well as students, university applicants, and stateless people.

An automated electronic military registration system and electronic draft notices enable recruitment without a public mobilization announcement, as per the report.

Proposed expanded military police powers would allow special search groups and pursuits targeting deserters and those evading service.

Regional authorities are also paying intermediaries for each recruit. German economist Janis Kluge cited Nizhny Tagil, where recruiters receive 400,000 rubles (about $4,500) per soldier. Some intermediaries reportedly use violence to secure payments, raising concerns that the Kremlin’s delegation of recruitment to regional authorities could undermine its control.

Authorities may also use criminal prosecution to force enlistment, including allegedly fabricating cases involving prohibited substances. Suspects are then offered a choice between prison and signing a military contract in exchange for dropping charges.