The personnel shortage of the Russian private army group Wagner is apparently disastrous: an advertisement offers a princely salary for military service in the Ukraine. The requirements of the potential employer are low: they are looking for Russians between the ages of 21 and 60 – a completed military education is not necessary.
Last fall, the mercenary group recruited many of its fighters from prisons. Those contracts have now expired – most convicted criminals are allowed to return home and the private army is facing a huge personnel problem. Therefore, a large-scale recruitment campaign has now been launched – huge posters advertising recruits, advertising is also being carried out on public transport and even on porn platforms. In a recruiting flyer, the Private Army urges, “Join the winning team!”
Offer also includes life insurance
The open letter promises a princely wage for the service: 240,000 rubles (about 2,700 euros) per month is used to lure potential applicants. The offering also includes life and health insurance. There are also bonuses for success. Training is carried out by highly qualified instructors, modern combat uniforms, the best equipment and armaments are provided. An offer that seems too good to be true for many. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had to confirm the authenticity of the letter.
The Russian army is also looking for soldiers
The pay of the private army is well above that of the Russian Defense Ministry, where the minimum monthly salary is 195,000 rubles. At the command level, there are up to 243,000 rubles, which is the wage of a Wagner soldier, according to their advertising campaign. The Kremlin is also doing its best to find new soldiers for its “special operation”: temporary recruiting centers are being set up in different regions, recruiting officers are conducting telephone broadcasts.
Kremlin army offers bonus “for every kilometer of progress”
Advertisements are also placed via social media accounts of government institutions and organizations. They promised a one-time bonus upon enlistment, including bonuses for “participation in active offensive operations” and “for every kilometer of progress within assault teams”. This is to avoid “a formal second wave of mobilization being declared” after the first proved so unpopular, the US-based think tank Institute of the Study of War said in a recent report.
The Kremlin’s military also has other benefits: an ad mentions tax and loan repayment exemptions, preferential university admissions for soldiers’ children, and generous allowances for families if combatants are injured or killed in combat.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
