MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/. As many as 127,000 people have already signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces in 2026, and another 10,000 have joined as volunteers, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said during the educational marathon "Knowledge. The First."

He noted that the Russian Armed Forces’ staffing levels are determined based on considerations presented by the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff.

"And last year, 450 thousand people joined the group of troops under all military contracts. That’s all. And this year, as of today — I looked at the figures just yesterday—I’ll give you this figure: 127,000 of our citizens, young men and women, have signed contracts for military service. Another 10,000 citizens signed contracts for service, but in voluntary formations. Essentially, this is also contract service, but it’s less closely tied to the Ministry of Defense, although, on the other hand, these guys essentially perform the same duties," Medvedev said.

He noted that those who signed contracts are motivated by strong patriotic sentiment. "I regularly travel to recruiting sites and training grounds where this training takes place, and I’ll be there very soon. And I often talk with the guys," the deputy chairman of the Security Council noted. According to him, some of the stories the soldiers tell are remarkable; "it’s impossible to listen to them without internal surprise and emotion." "I ask the guys, ‘Why did you choose this path? It’s dangerous. It’s voluntary here now.’" The answer is often the same: "Who else, if not me?"

"This deserves the most profound respect — both the courage itself and the fact that our citizens, young and not so young, are following the call of their hearts to defend our Fatherland. A huge thank you and a deep bow to them for this," Medvedev said.

The "Knowledge. The First" marathon is dedicated to the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. The event is being held as part of the Youth and Children national project. TASS is the marathon’s general information partner.