Russians have started receiving mass text messages urging them to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense. This was reported by readers of the Meduza and Sota publications.
“Sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense: from 800 thousand rubles and benefits right away. Call 117!” the message says. The hotline for volunteers operates at the short number 117; it was launched in the spring of 2023.
On August 1, the mailing was announced by the Telegram channel “Before Everyone”, citing a “source in the telecom environment”. Their post included the full text of the message with a difference of a few words.
This June, “Gosuslugi” sent out a letter advertising the “Russian University of Special Forces” in Gudermes. It is financed by businessmen close to Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya also appointed his son Adam as the curator of the «university». The letter did not mention either Chechnya or Ramzan Kadyrov himself.