Russia Seeks Guards for a Power Plant That Doesn't Exist, Highlighting Mobilization Struggles.

Job Ads Posted for Guards at a Non-Existent Nuclear Plant

According to TSN.ua: Recruitment advertisements have appeared on the Russian classifieds platform Avito, seeking security guards for the Luhansk Nuclear Power Plant—a facility that was never built. This unusual tactic is widely seen as a sign of the Russian military's difficulty in finding enough contract soldiers. The ads offer substantial financial incentives, including a monthly salary starting at 210,000 rubles and a one-time signing bonus ranging from 1.5 to 4 million rubles.

Broad Eligibility Criteria for Applicants

The advertisements explicitly state that the positions are suitable for:

• students
• pensioners
• people over the age of 45
• individuals with health conditions

This unusually wide net suggests the Russian army is attempting to recruit from demographics typically exempt from frontline service, pointing to a significant personnel shortage. This recruitment drive coincides with Russia's announced plans in 2022 to form 14 new army divisions.

“You will serve where the Motherland commands”

Recruiters emphasize this line in the ads, making clear that deployment to the front lines is a possibility. They further note that applicants with certain medical conditions, including hepatitis and HIV, may also be sent to the 'forward area.' These factors underscore the Russian authorities' active efforts to find new military personnel. The use of a non-existent facility as a recruitment front highlights the deceptive and desperate nature of these campaigns, which target individuals with low readiness for combat.

This situation underscores the continuation of Russia's military efforts despite mounting recruitment challenges. The reliance on such ineffective and misleading campaigns could have negative consequences for the army's combat readiness, potentially impacting the course of Russia's military operations in Ukraine and beyond. The Avito platform is a common digital marketplace in Russia, often used for everything from selling furniture to, apparently, military recruitment.