Over $3,000 for murdering Ukrainians: ISW reveals Russia’s pay to contractors

23.08.2022 08:01

Ukrinform

Members of the so-called "volunteer battalions" in Russia, who have agreed to deploy for the war in Ukraine are paid more than $3,000 a month.

This is stated in the latest report by a Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that the said battalions are formed across Russian regions. " Primorsky Krai offered recruits ages 18 to 60 a one-time enlistment bonus of 300,000 rubles (about $4,980) and monthly salaries of 200,000 rubles (about $3,320)," ISW claims.

At the same time, the size of the one-time draft payment to the members of the Tigr volunteer battalion formed in the Primorsky Krai earlier, was half as much, amounting to 150,000 rubles ($2,490).

Due to the lack of recruits willing to die in Ukraine, the amount of this payment had to be raised by the Buryatiya Republic, which now offers 200,000 rubles (about $3,320) to its contractors.

The authorities of Tatarstan took the same forced step. "The Kremlin likely ordered authorities of the Russian federal subjects to increase their advertisement of contract military service," analysts emphasize.

As the think tank reported earlier, the number of Russian citizens willing to go to war in Ukraine is shrinking, so the Kremlin leadership is trying to actively recruit foreign nationals.