Putin raises payout sum for Russians enlisting to fight in Ukraine before year end

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree increasing the lump-sum payment offered to new military recruits enlisting to fight in Ukraine by the end of the year to 400,000 rubles (€4,300), the Russian government’s legal portal said on Wednesday.

The increased payment will be in addition to signing bonuses of at least 400,000 rubles (€4,300) received by new recruits from regional budgets.

In some parts of the country, the lump-sum payment for enlisting in the military is already in excess of 400,000 rubles. The Moscow city authorities pay 1.9 million rubles (€20,400), the southern Russian Krasnodar region pays 1 million (€10,700) and authorities in the republic of Dagestan in the North Caucasus pay 500,000 rubles (€5,340) to new recruits.

According to researchers at the Re:Russia think tank, the annual payments made to military personnel fighting in Ukraine and compensation payments due to their relatives now amount to between 2.75 trillion and 3 trillion rubles (€29.5 billion–€32 billion). This is equivalent to roughly 1.5% of Russia’s estimated GDP in 2024 and 8% of its total federal budget expenditure.

When Russia announced partial mobilisation on 21 September 2022, the lump sum payment was set at 195,000 rubles (€2,100).