The contract-based model for replenishing the Russian army, which over the past two years has allowed the Kremlin to conduct intensive offensives without regard for high battlefield losses, now appears to be approaching a crisis, or at the very least shows clear signs of exhaustion. In recent weeks, eight Russian regions have sharply increased enlistment bonuses for new recruits (the steepest rise since early summer), while in three other regions, payments have been reduced several times over...
