As Russian Army Remnants In Ukraine "Pause," Kremlin Tries Raising Volunteers

The Russian army is offering potential volunteers to fight in Ukraine as much as five times the prevailing wage in some areas of the country. 

The problem is there are reports that once the volunteers are shipped to Ukraine, the army reneges on most of the recruiting promises as officers pocket the money while skimping on training and equipment. The attached is a translation of one of the online recruiting posters. JL 

Rob Lee reports in War On the Rocks:

A volunteer tank battalion is being raised in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. They're offering a 200,000 ruble one-time payment, 250,000 rubles a month, and 6 month contracts. Another volunteer battalion is being raised in Bashkiria and two in Perm. (But) once they're there, they end up being given a fraction of what was promised, no lump sum, no status, no chance of rotation out. "I may be wrong, but when a military force of 45 battalion tactical groups spends 3 months storming two mediocre-sized cities, after which it is so depleted that it needs a long operational pause - I don’t see how Russia intends to take the rest of Ukraine." A volunteer tank battalion is being raised in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. They're offering a 200,000 ruble one-time payment, 250,000 rubles a month, and 6 month contracts. Volunteers will also receive the combat veteran status and other benefits.

 

Another volunteer battalion is being raised in Bashkiria and two in Perm. As with in other regions, the pay for these contracts is competitive. One of the main points is that the MoD is offering a sizeable paycheck for 3 months contracts and, apparently, are offering to help pay off loans or debt. Volunteers in Nizhnekamsk are being offered 200k rubles a month, which is 5 times the average monthly salary for the city.

 

(But) the intercepted calls I've heard say the reality is very different. Once they're there, they end up being given a fraction of what was promised, no lumpsum, no status, no chance of rotation out, etc etc. Exactly what one would expect. "Could offer 2 million rubles a month. They don’t have to pay you anything if you’re dead…"

 

They need someone to drive those old T-62s and soak up UKR anti-tank rockets. Lol. They’re offering these guys the equivalent of Senior NCO money in the US armed forces. So clearly they aren’t expecting many to actually survive the 6 months. Or the Kremlin would go broke.

 

I may be wrong, but when a military force of nearly 45 battalion tactical groups spends 3 months storming two mediocre-sized cities, after which it is so depleted that it needs a long operational pause - I don’t see how Russia intends to take the rest of Ukraine.