Inside GRU’s Mercenary Recruitment System for War in Ukraine

In 2025, Russia introduced a new system for deploying mercenaries to the front—“Dobrokor.” Under this scheme, more than 1,500 individuals are believed to have already been sent to fight in Ukraine. They were integrated into the ranks of the “Volunteer Corps,” a formation based on the Redut private military company (PMC) and controlled by the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).

Prospective mercenaries now have two options: sign a volunteer contract through the traditional Redut system or opt into the new Dobrokor framework.

The Redut route allows recruits to terminate their contracts at any time, but offers no social protections.
Dobrokor, by contrast, promises official military status along with access to social benefits and regional payments—though the contract is binding for its full duration and cannot be broken early. In practice, however, payments are often delayed or withheld, and some fighters deliberately choose the older system on principle.

Dobrokor

The name “Dobrokor” is an abbreviation of “Dobrovolcheskiy Korpus” (Volunteer Corps) under the Russian Ministry of Defense. This formation was established in 2023 on the foundation of the Redut private military company and consolidated dozens of mercenary units previously recruited under the “Redut system.”

The Dobrokor website lists 27 units currently recruiting under the new system. Among the most prominent are:
– “Wolves,” “Tiger,” and “Lynx,” all linked to the GRU’s 16th Brigade
– The Orthodox-patriotic unit “Nevsky”
– The assault brigade “Veterans,” whose members wear patches featuring Vladimir Putin’s image
– The football hooligan-affiliated “Española” and Cossack unit “Don”
– And the brigade “Saint George,” created under the auspices of the Donbas Volunteers Union (SDD)

All of these units previously operated under PMC Redut.

How the GRU Created the "Dobrovolcheskiy Korpus"