Regions in Russia increase remuneration for military volunteers
Certain Russian areas have boosted the compensation for military service in Ukraine quite substantially. In the wealth-filled Siberian region of Chanty-Mansijsk, volunteers receive an impressive yearly sum of 5.27 million rubles (approximately 50,000 euros) if they opt to join the fight in Ukraine, as stated by local officials. This figure is roughly five times the typical annual income in Russia, and a welcome bonus of 2.7 million rubles is also provided.
The Belgorod region, situated near Ukraine, declared their intention to double the welcome bonus to 3 million rubles, so long as potential recruits commit before January 1. Since the summer, posters in Moscow have promised an annual remuneration of 5.2 million rubles to engage in combat in Ukraine. St. Petersburg has seen an increase in annual compensation from 1.3 million to 1.8 million rubles.
The southern region of Krasnodar has tripled the annual remuneration since the large-scale Ukrainian attack commenced in February 2022, raising it to 1.9 million rubles. The compensation has also been increased in the Yamalo-Nenets and Mari El regions, and in Dagestan, one of Russia's poorest regions, the salary was boosted by a significant fivefold factor to 500,000 rubles.
Moreover, soldiers are being recruited through phone calls and posters. In late September, the parliament passed a law absolving criminals from prosecution should they choose to participate in the Ukrainian conflict. Obsservers presume that the Kremlin is seeking to dodge another unwanted conscription with these steps.
However, the full extent of the difficulties the Russian military is encountering in its third year of combat is not clear, as the number of casualties remains unpublished. In September, reports from the BBC and the independent Russian news portal Mediazone indicated around 70,000 Russian soldiers had perished since the onset of the large-scale Ukrainian offensive. It's reasonable to assume the actual number is considerably higher. As per "The Wall Street Journal", Western intelligence agencies estimate that up to 600,000 Russian soldiers have been lost in total, including 200,000 fatalities and 400,000 wounded.
The Commission has been scrutinizing the significant increases in military compensation for service in Ukraine, particularly in regions like Chanty-Mansijsk and Dagestan. The Commission is concerned about the potential consequences of these high payments, as they may incentivize more individuals to join the conflict.
