Russian recruits attracted by high "burial money" payouts
According to information provided by the Russian opposition portal Sibir.Realii, there is no shortage of people in Russia willing to go to war. They are reportedly persuaded by the large sums of money offered by the state. The "burial money" itself amounts to 11 million roubles (about $134,000).
"Of course, I am sad about our son. He didn't give us any grandchildren. He was only 24 years old. But now we can finally repair the house and buy a new car," said an anonymous man from the recruitment center in Iskitim, near Novosibirsk, as reported by Sibir.Realii and quoted by gazeta.pl.
The man was there to receive a death certificate for his son, who participated in the war in Ukraine. Without it, the family would not be able to receive the large compensation from the state. The so-called burial payment, depending on the region, can reach up to 11 million rubles (about $134,000). This is approximately ten average annual salaries in Russia.
Russians go to war for money
This is how the Russian state is supposedly encouraging citizens to fight in the war. In a conversation with the portal "Verstka" about recruitment in Moscow, an anonymous employee of the recruitment center said that practically everyone who signs a contract to participate in the war does it for the money.
The mentioned "burial money" is not the only payment Russians can expect. High one-time payments are received just for signing the contract. Depending on the region, enlisting earns about 900,000 rubles (about $11,000). Including federal funds, enlisting in the military earns about 1.3 million rubles (about $16,000).
Russia takes anyone
According to the Sibir.Realii portal, in all four recruitment centers visited by journalists, recruiters informed that there are no restrictions on admission. Both healthy individuals and older ones, even those who have had heart attacks, suffer from mental illnesses, or have been in psychiatric facilities, are accepted.
Thanks to this, according to calculations by German analyst Janis Kluge, Russia can expect a daily intake of about 600 recruits in a total of 37 regions of the country. According to Kluge, the Kremlin's goal is to sign about 1,440 contracts daily.
