A BBC Russian investigation has documented the deaths of at least 245 eighteen-year-old Russian contract soldiers in Ukraine between April 2023 and July 2025.

This followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated claims that no 18-year-olds would be sent to fight.

The deaths occurred after Russia quietly dropped restrictions in April 2023 that previously required men to complete at least three months of conscript service before signing military contracts. Now any 18-year-old who has finished school can enlist directly as a contract soldier.

The BBC investigation, part of an ongoing project using open sources to count Russia’s war dead, found that most of the 245 identified soldiers joined the armed forces voluntarily, based on published obituaries. The real numbers are likely higher since not every death is publicly reported.

Russia has avoided national mobilization by offering substantial financial incentives to volunteers, particularly attractive to those in poorer regions with limited job prospects. The military recruitment now extends directly into schools and colleges.

Since the full-scale invasion began, teachers have been legally required to hold classes about the “special military operation.” Military recruiters attend career lessons, and a new subject called “The Basics of Safety and Homeland Defence” was introduced in September 2024, teaching students to use Kalashnikov rifles and hand grenades.

The investigation revealed that since the start of the full-scale invasion, at least 2,812 Russian men aged 18-20 have been killed in Ukraine. By late July, the BBC had established names of 120,343 Russian soldiers killed during the war.

Military experts estimate this represents 45-65% of actual deaths, suggesting total Russian military fatalities could range from 185,143 to 267,500.

In Ukraine, the minimum conscription age is 25, five years higher than Russia’s recruitment threshold.