Only recently did it become known that Russia would send wounded soldiers back to the front. Now compensation for the injured is being drastically reduced – at the insistence of Vladimir Putin himself. The amount of payments is reduced by up to 30 times.
The Kremlin-critical portal ‘Meduza’ reported this on Wednesday. The page refers to a decree signed by Putin “On lump sum payments to certain groups of people” to reorganize compensation. In the future, payments will be linked to the severity of the injury: there will be three million rubles for serious injuries and 100,000 to one million rubles for minor injuries.
Signs of huge losses
So far, three million rubles have been given to all those affected, regardless of the severity of the injury. Critics see the rather drastic downsizing of what was once an overall solution as a response to the numerous losses suffered by the Russian military in the war of aggression against Ukraine. As recently as September, Western secret services on the Russian side counted up to 400,000 wounded – at least 70,000.
Decree apparently in fast forward
To avoid possible criticism, the Kremlin was said to have been in a hurry with the decree, the Telegram channel ‘Faridaily’ explained. It said there was only a two-and-a-half hour gap between publication and the government’s decision on payments, allowing authorities to “avoid discussions with the military about which injuries and how much to make the payments.”
Officially, the Russian military leadership explains the new regulations simply as a “matter of fairness.” A military analyst told the Moscow Times that this also means the hurdle for soldiers to get their hands on the money is higher. He therefore expects payments to be significantly lower in the future.
“You will only be fired if you simply have no head.”
Recently, Russian soldiers also accused ‘Meduza’ of brutally treating their own army members in Ukraine. “You can only be discharged if you are missing both arms or both legs or simply have no head,” a soldier who wished to remain anonymous reportedly told the magazine.
The Institute for the Study of War also reports on reports from Russian military bloggers who claim that the Russian military is not providing adequate medical care to wounded soldiers. Instead, they are being held in a so-called “medical cellar” and demanding their release in exchange for a bribe of about 1.5 million rubles (about 15,000 euros).
Putin is currently calling up 133,000 new soldiers
Meanwhile, Euronews reports that around 133,000 men are currently being drafted for a year of military service as part of the traditional autumn draft in Russia. All men between the ages of 18 and 30 who are not reservists and are subject to military service are affected.
This autumn campaign, which runs until December 31, is the second regular round of conscription since the age limit was raised from 27 to 30, according to the magazine.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
