Putin Doubles Army Recruitment Bonus as Russian War Losses Mount
- President raises payment to 400,000 rubles for new recruits
- Russian army has incurred huge casualties in war in Ukraine
A mobile military recruitment point in Moscow in 2023.
Photographer: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
President Vladimir Putin ordered officials to double a bonus for people willing to join Russia’s war in Ukraine, offering fresh evidence that the military is struggling to meet recruitment targets.
New recruits to the army will receive a one-time payment of 400,000 rubles (around $4,600) until the end of the year, according to a presidential order published Wednesday. Putin also called on regional authorities to match the federal government payment, which was previously set at 195,000 rubles.