Russia recruits soldiers by promising military contract work in Belarus and China 'rear positions'

Military recruitment adverts have appeared on the Russian classified ads platform Avito, offering military contracts for work in the "SVO rear" in Belarus and China. These adverts are notable as they point to a new recruitment tactic in which men are enticed with positions located on the territory of other countries.

Military recruitment adverts have been published on the Russian classified ads platform Avito, offering military service in the so-called SVO rear in Belarus and China. Such adverts have been noticed and brought to public attention by the investigative outlet Verstka.

The adverts offer to conclude a contract that would ostensibly keep the recruited person away from active combat zones. SVO — Russia's official designation for its military operation in Ukraine — mentions rear positions in Belarus and China, suggesting that recruiters are using geography as an argument to lure men.

This is a new step in Russia's recruitment tactics, which have continuously evolved to acquire personnel related to the conflict. Belarus, which maintains close military cooperation with Russia, has been a point of origin for earlier military operations. The mention of China in recruitment adverts is, however, a more unusual phenomenon that researchers have had reason to note.

Verstka, which conducts independent investigative journalism in Russia, drew attention to the fact that such adverts testify to the expansion of recruitment work beyond Russia's borders.