MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. Approximately 200,000 people have signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces in the first six months of this year, and another 16,000 have joined the ranks of volunteers for the Special Military Operation, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev stated at a meeting of the interdepartmental commission of the Russian Security Council on manning the Russian Armed Forces with contract servicemen.

"Contracts for military service in the first six months of this year were signed by about 200,000 people. In addition, more than 16,000 of our citizens have joined volunteer formations and have gone to the zone of the special military operation," he said.