Russian Regions Recruit Reservists to Bolster Oil Facility Defenses Against Drone Attacks

New Mobilization Reserve Formed

Authorities in at least 15 Russian regions are currently recruiting residents into a new mobilization reserve, tasked with guarding strategic infrastructure, including oil refineries, against escalating Ukrainian drone attacks. This development was reported by the exiled news outlet Vyorstka, which reviewed government recruitment posts on VKontakte.

The campaign follows the recent adoption of a law that permits the deployment of reservists to protect facilities on Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed this law on Tuesday, November 5, 2025, authorizing the use of reservists for security within Russia.

Legislative Framework and Operational Scope

The measure was announced by Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, deputy chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Organizational-Mobilization Directorate, in a briefing published by the Ministry of Defense. He stated that the initiative responds to a 'heightened threat environment' due to the increased use of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles by Ukrainian forces. The reservists, who are citizens with prior military service and voluntary contracts, will be summoned for 'special musters' to protect critical infrastructure and other key facilities.

Officials have emphasized that these reservists will operate strictly within their home regions and 'will not be involved in the 'special military operation' or assigned tasks outside the Russian Federation.' Their duties will include guarding energy infrastructure, intercepting drones, and in border regions like Bryansk, countering 'enemy sabotage groups' and maintaining 'counterterrorism regimes.'

Regional Recruitment and Incentives

Recruitment announcements have appeared in various regions, including:

• Bryansk
• Kaliningrad
• Leningrad
• Nizhny Novgorod
• Rostov
• Tambov
• Tula
• Yaroslavl
• The republic of Bashkortostan
• Perm region
• Krasnoyarsk region

Financial incentives vary significantly by region. In Bryansk, volunteers are offered monthly payments ranging from 40,000 to 100,000 rubles ($440-$1,100) depending on rank, along with one-time bonuses of up to 300,000 rubles ($3,300). In regions further from the front line, payments are considerably lower; for instance, volunteers in Tula and Bashkortostan are promised 2,000-10,000 rubles per month, plus bonuses for downed drones. Reservists will also undergo training in firearms, engineering, and medical skills under instructors with combat experience.

Context of Intensified Drone Attacks

The decision to mobilize reservists comes amid a sustained campaign of Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure. These strikes have intensified in recent months, impacting numerous oil refineries and facilities deep within Russian territory.

Notable targets have included refineries in Ryazan, Saratov, Bashkortostan, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, and Syzran. These attacks have led to fuel shortages in some regions, caused petrol prices to spike, and forced some areas to introduce fuel rationing. The Ukrainian strategy aims to disrupt Russia's oil export chain and undermine its defense-industrial capabilities.