Russia offers debt relief to new recruits fighting in Ukraine as it faces high attrition rates of its forces. President Putin signed a law allowing those signing up for a one-year contract to have bad debts written off, with the law applying to potential recruits who had debt collection proceedings initiated against them before December 1.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Saturday that allows debt forgiveness for new recruits signing up to fight in Ukraine.
Law Details
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The law applies to all potential recruits who have had debt collection proceedings initiated against them before December 1.
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Those signing up for a one-year contract can have their bad debts of up to 10 million roubles (€92,000 or $95,835) written off.
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The law does not apply to those already enlisted.
Context
Russia has faced a high attrition rate of its forces as the ongoing invasion of Ukraine grinds on. In October, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutter said that over 600,000 Russian forces had been killed or injured in Ukraine since the war began in February 2022.
Additional Measures to Recruit Fighters
Russia has managed to bolster its ranks by offering increasingly large payouts to those willing to fight in Ukraine. These measures have meant another general mobilization has been avoided.
On November 23, 2024, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows debt forgiveness for new recruits signing up to fight in Ukraine.
This move is part of Russia’s efforts to bolster its ranks and attract manpower for the ongoing conflict.
Background
The ongoing invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a high attrition rate of Russian forces. According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutter, over 600,000 Russian forces have been killed or injured in Ukraine since the war began in February 2022.
Russia’s efforts to recruit fighters have included offering increasingly large payouts, with some cases reaching many times the average salary. This has meant that another general mobilization has been avoided.
New Legislation
The new legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to have their bad debts of up to 10 million roubles (€92,000 or $95,835) written off. The law applies to all potential recruits who have had debt collection proceedings initiated against them before December 1.
Eligibility
The new measure does not apply to those already enlisted in the Russian military. Only potential recruits who meet the specified criteria will be eligible for debt forgiveness.
Russia’s efforts to recruit fighters come as the country faces growing desperation on the part of its leaders, particularly President Putin. The ongoing conflict has lasted nearly three years and has had a significant impact on troop levels.
