PETROZAVODSK — In Petrozavodsk, 36-year-old Egor Sabinich was detained by police while intoxicated and signed a binding military contract without realizing it. After sobering up, Sabinich realized he was at a military enlistment office instead of a detox center.

Russia's casualty rate surpassed its recruitment rate in January 2026 after years in which Russia's recruitment rate consistently met its replacement rate targets, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Russia's ongoing recruitment drives have included prisoners, criminal defendants, and foreign nationals.

A supporter familiar with Sabinich's case said "He was deceived. I am certain he had no idea what he was signing." Sabinich is a father of four.

Sergey Krivenko, a human rights advocate with the Russian human rights group Citizen and Army, described the recruitment methods. "Either they (recruiters) sign for him while he's drunk -- like, literally moving his hand for him or something -- or they talk him into it," Krivenko said.

A lawyer who has filed complaints with courts and prosecutors in several cases of intoxicated individuals being tricked into signing military contracts described similar tactics. "In some cases, a police officer gives a contract to an intoxicated person and tells him it's confirmation of a search. The person signs it and later finds out he has been enrolled," the lawyer said.

"Even if it wasn't signed by the person, by the time you prove it, you may die in the war a few times," the lawyer said.

To meet recruitment quotas, recruiters recruit individuals with alcohol dependency because they receive bonuses for each person recruited.

Aleksei Alshansky, a military analyst, described how recruitment patterns have changed. "It has shifted away from the large cities and into villages, settlements, and rural areas. There, security forces -- using police or Investigative Committee vans -- drive around following lists compiled by local authorities, specifically tracking down people with alcohol addiction," Alshansky said. "The situation is becoming more and more sad every year."

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and publicly declared nationwide partial mobilization only once, in 2022. The decree authorizing the 2022 partial mobilization was never formally rescinded. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said that Russia is not planning any new mobilization.