Russia is aggressively recruiting university students for its new Unmanned System Forces, offering lucrative incentives including 6.52 million rubles ($84,500) for one year of service. The military has held recruitment sessions at 269 universities across the country, including occupied Ukrainian territories, as part of a broader strategy to replenish drone operator ranks without another unpopular draft.

Students are being enticed with promises of free tuition, dormitory housing, and guaranteed admission to master's programs upon completion of service. Recruiters emphasize the financial benefits and portray drone service as relatively safe compared to infantry positions. However, critics argue this is deceptive, noting that drone operators regularly face combat risks and military contracts are typically indefinite despite promises of year-long service.

The campaign comes as Russia seeks to expand its drone forces to 165,500 personnel by year's end, reflecting the weapon's dominance on the Ukraine battlefield. While military officials claim recruitment is "ahead of schedule," the targeting of students represents a new demographic in Moscow's efforts to sustain its war effort without triggering widespread public backlash. The strategy appears designed to appeal to financially struggling students facing academic difficulties, with some universities pressuring failing students to consider military service as an alternative to expulsion.