New soldiers are now being recruited directly from AIDS centres in northern Russia
A recruitment poster offering military contracts to people living with HIV and hepatitis has been placed on the wall at an AIDS prevention centre in Karelia.
The advert promises prospective recruits a substantial one-off payment, debt relief, and “individual consideration” for both foreign nationals and those with criminal records.
Patients visiting the Karelia Centre for AIDS Prevention and Infectious Diseases are being encouraged to enlist in the Russian armed forces. A reader of the Barents Observer photographed the notice inside the facility.
“We are looking for VOLUNTEERS for the special military operation! Recruitment is open for people with HIV and HEPATITIS!!” the leaflet says, with its original spelling and punctuation preserved.
Potential recruits are offered a lump-sum payment of 1.7 million roubles, contracts lasting from one year, debt write-offs of up to 10 million roubles, and various additional benefits. According to the advert, applications from individuals with criminal convictions or from foreign citizens will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The poster was placed directly beside the entrance to the registration desk. Nearby, another notice promoted an initiative to plant a memorial garden in Petrozavodsk in honour of participants in the war in Ukraine.
Reports that the Russian military has been recruiting people with HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis first emerged in September 2025, when the outlet Important Stories highlighted similar adverts on the popular classifieds website Avito. It now appears that such recruitment efforts may also be taking place within medical institutions.
Under official regulations issued by the Russian Ministry of Defence, HIV and hepatitis are listed among conditions that disqualify individuals from military service.
The restriction exists primarily to protect patients’ health: the physical strain and psychological stress of military life can significantly worsen these conditions. Moreover, such patients require ongoing treatment and careful medical supervision, which are difficult to maintain in a military environment. For example, people living with HIV must adhere strictly to a regimen of antiretroviral therapy.
Previously, the Barents Observer also reported that recruiters had sent individuals suffering from chronic alcoholism to fight in Ukraine.
