Russian soldiers keep reporting massive problems. In the meantime, even the salary is often absent, as research shows.
Moscow – Soldiers fighting for Russia in the Ukraine war are entitled to at least 195,000 rubles per calendar month. At least that’s what it says on the Kremlin’s website, approved by Vladimir Putin. But with the payment of the equivalent of around 2300 euros, there should be massive problems. In some cases, salaries for military personnel are said not to have been paid at all in March 2023, according to the independent news agency layout writes.
According to the agency’s research, more and more people in Russia are complaining regarding insufficient or even no salary for their military service via the Facebook-like page VKontakte (VK). “Are we going to fight in vain or what?” One of the posts is quoted as saying.
Russia without rubles? Soldiers and relatives complain regarding missing payments
According to the research, not only newly mobilized soldiers are affected by the payment problems, but also professional soldiers and “volunteers”. The complaints on VK, according to data from layout from 52 Russian regions and the annexed Crimean Peninsula.
“To be honest, it’s really hard for me. I’m on maternity leave, I’m not working. We have two children: one is three years old and the other is eight months old. I only get regarding 30,000 rubles of child benefit and with this money I have been helping my husband for the second month and sending him money for his expenses. I wouldn’t have survived without my mother’s help,” admitted Victoria from Moscow layout at. Her husband has been fighting for Russia since autumn 2022.
Into the war for Russia: the price seems variable
In addition to the many reports of late or even non-existent pay, the research also mentions far too low payouts. Because most military records are classified, many soldiers find it difficult to prove they are entitled to bonuses or higher salaries, the Russian newspaper writes Nowaja gaseta.
You’ll never prove anything there. When our forces entered Ukrainian territory, there was no formal order. So that’s how it works, it’s not written anywhere on paper.
Part of the reason is that soldiers are assigned to another unit but are still registered with the old one, Victoria told Moscow layout. At the beginning of the war it was similar for Pavel Filatev. As a trained paratrooper, he was briefly assigned to a mortar unit during the attack on Ukraine. He wrote that in his book ZOV, in which he reports on his time as a Russian soldier. But how much money is a Russian soldier entitled to in the Ukraine war?
Salary on the Russian front: Pay is clearly regulated
The minimum claim is 195,000 rubles, according to the Kremlin’s website. For a mobilized soldier, the salary consists of 158,000 rubles in social benefits and an allowance of at least 37,000 rubles. Depending on the rank and the task, the pay increases. For example, a platoon commander earns 225,000 and battalion commanders 243,000 rubles, according to a Russian news site ANO „National Priorities“ indicates.
For each day that a soldier is involved in an offensive action, he gets an additional 8,000 rubles. The reports that layout revealed, however, show that in reality far less is often paid. An affected wife sometimes reports only 7 to 15,000 rubles per month. (Lucas Maier)
