Russia wants to win the war against Ukraine with the help of volunteers instead of a new partial mobilization, the Russian military said on Friday.
"Currently, there has been a significant increase in the number of citizens who have decided to voluntarily participate in military service by contract," said a spokesman for the General Staff of the Russian Armed Services.
"I want to assure you that the General Staff is not planning a second wave of mobilization," he said in a statement.
Those who have already been called up and the volunteers are "quite sufficient for the fulfilment of the tasks set."
Russians fear another compulsory mobilization of reservists for the war in light of Russian losses in Ukraine. Many don't trust the official word out of Moscow.
Apparently, the government is counting on many citizens accepting the comparatively well-paid military service out of need for money to care for their families.
According to the military, the Defence Ministry has expanded the number of recruitment posts in the country. More "instructors for working with candidates" are also being deployed, it said.
Western experts are calling this a disguised mobilization because Russia is pressuring its citizens to sign up for military service in Ukraine.
Putin's mobilization last autumn triggered a mass exodus of Russians abroad, while more than 300,000 men were drafted.
Recruiting soldiers who have already completed their military service is another way the military recruits Russians for combat in Ukraine.
On Saturday, the spring draft for basic military service begins, with 147,000 men between the ages of 18 - 27 expected to be drafted for the year-long service. This is 10% more than a year ago.
