The Russian military has launched a recruitment campaign calling for "real men" to quit their civilian jobs as taxi drivers and security guards to become 'contract' soldiers for the Russian army.

Portraying their jobs as unfulfilling and demeaning, the advert promises a monthly starting salary starting from 204,000 roubles (£2,010), which is more than double the average salary in Russia – around £600.

The high-production ad set to ominous music follows reports from British intelligence in March that stated that Russian authorities were preparing to start a major recruitment campaign with the aim of signing up an additional 400,000 troops.

The Ministry of Defence said: "Russia is presenting the campaign as a drive for volunteer, professional personnel, rather than a new, mandatory mobilisation.

The Russian advert opens with a machine gun-holding soldier in full uniform standing at the entrance to the supermarket.

The next shot reveals that he is the supermarket security guard holding a metal detector stick instead of a heavy machine gun.  

The advert asks: "Is this the kind of defender you dreamed of becoming?"

It then cuts to a misty battlefield showing slow-motion shots of the supermarket guard-turned-soldier.

The same scenario is played out with a muscly gym instructor, with the ad asking: "Is this really your strength?"

Finally, the campaign targets a taxi driver dissatisfied with his career choice, asking: "Is this really the path you wanted for yourself," before cutting to a shot of him putting on a helmet in the middle of a very misty war zone.

Set to epic music, with grandiose slow-motion shots and a smoke machine working overtime, the ad finally states translated to English: "You are a real man. So be one."

This recruitment drive for paid volunteers follows Russia's mobilisation of 300,000 men last September. 

Thousands of age-appropriate men fled the country to avoid forced conscription. 

Russia has not disclosed full casualty figures, however, a leaked estimate from the US Defence Intelligence Agency suggests that up to 43,000 Russians and 17,500 Ukrainians have been killed in the war in Ukraine so far. 

Russian media has called these figures into question, describing them as a meditated disinformation campaign. 

Article: Forces.net.

Image: Russian Ministry of Defence.