Volosovo, near St. Petersburg, is thrived, not economically, but with loudspeakers that are increasingly spread.

Like many cities in Russia, Volosovo has installed it on high columns lining up along the main street. The loudspeakers are traditionally used to play national music during national holidays. Now, she has a different purpose.

"Two battalions of volunteers are being formed in the artillery wire. We invite men between the ages of 18 and 60 to join."

It is a message that is repeated in all regions of this vast country. Men are urged on social media, television and billboards to sign short -term contracts with the army to fight in Ukraine.  

I stopped a man on the street in Volosovo and asked him if he was supporting the summons of the volunteers. He told me to tighten his fists: "Yes! If I were young, I would go, but I am old now, we must bomb them!"

But it seems that most of the town's residents are less enthusiastic. One of the women complains: "[War] is very painful even once you talk about it." "Kill your brothers wrong."

I asked her what would she say if one of her relatives wanted to join, and she said: "Why do they go? Their bodies will only be repeated."

And many bodies are already returning.   

Russia did not mention numbers, but Western officials say that between 70 thousand and 80,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since it launched its invasion six months ago.

In order to attract new recruits, the authorities offer the volunteers huge sums of money, plots of land, and even distinguished places for their children in Russian schools.

Even those responsible for recruitment were visiting Russian prisons to record inmates and promised them freedom and money.

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"This is not the type of soldiers wanted for a victorious war. The Kremlin still hopes that the quantity will triumph over the quality. They can get hundreds of thousands of people who are desperate from their debts and meet They are in the conflict zone. "

Despite the cash amounts offered to potential recruits, which are up to $ 5,700 a month in some cases, Roman says the reality is different:

"People do not actually get this money. They return [from Ukraine] now and we journalists tell us how they were deceived. This also affects the current situation, this lack of confidence in our government, so I don't think this strategy will succeed."

But some are happy to join.

Levgini, son of Nina Chubarina, left their village in the Northern Karelia region to join a volunteer battalion. Nina says that her son, who had no military experience, got a weapon and sent directly to Ukraine.

He was killed a few days later. He was 24 years old.