Ukraine war: Russia’s Putin doubles signing bonuses for volunteers to fight
- The increases mean the minimum annual pay for Russian contract soldiers fighting in Ukraine will exceed the average Russian wage by more than threefold
Russian President Vladimir Putin doubled upfront payments for volunteers to fight in Ukraine on Wednesday, a move aimed at facilitating military recruitment but likely to create imbalances in the overheated economy.
All Russians who sign a contract with the army will now receive an upfront payment of 400,000 roubles (US$4,651). The decree also recommends that regional authorities match this payment from their budgets with at least the same amount.
With the minimum monthly payment for a private taking part in what Russia calls a “special military operation” set at 204,000 roubles, the new decree raises the minimum annual wage in the first year of service to 3.25 million roubles (US$37,791).
Monthly wages for officers are higher and depend on their rank. All recruits also receive additional money for taking part in offensives or destroying enemy tanks and other machinery.
Earlier this month, the mayor of Moscow set an upfront payment for city residents signing up to fight in Ukraine at 1.9 million roubles (US$21,777) from the city budget, bringing their annual pay in their first year of service to 5.2 million roubles.
The latest increases mean that the minimum annual pay for Russian contract soldiers fighting in Ukraine will exceed the average wage in Russia by more than threefold, with the minimum pay for Muscovites exceeding the average wage by more than fivefold.