(ASTRAKHAN, RUSSIA) – A Russian soldier is reportedly paying monthly bribes to his commander to remain away from the front line while his ex-wife has leaked his unit’s coordinates to Ukrainian forces, hoping to collect a compensation payment of 145,000 US dollars after his death, according to a report by TVP World.
The case highlights the perverse financial incentives created by the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s recruitment system, where soldiers can be worth more dead than alive. British historian Peter Franco calculated that the average lifespan of a Russian soldier on the front line ranges from 10 days to three weeks. Once a human wave assault begins, that figure can shrink to a few dozen minutes.
With monthly Russian losses consistently exceeding 30,000 soldiers, the Kremlin requires a constant supply of replacements. Russian authorities now offer payments of up to 80,000 US dollars (approximately 7.2 million roubles or 63,000 British pounds) and debt forgiveness totalling 140,000 US dollars (approximately 12.6 million roubles or 110,000 British pounds) to attract new volunteers.
The Astrakhan case involves a soldier paying bribes to his commander to avoid deployment to assault units. His new fiancee is attempting to secure benefits through the civil registry office. His ex-wife, however, has a different plan. She is reportedly leaking his unit’s coordinates so he is killed quickly, while already counting on the 145,000 US dollar payment she expects to receive after his death.
“He’s trying to stay alive. Everyone else is working out what he’s worth dead,” the report stated.
The situation reflects a broader systemic problem. Poverty and debt on one side, and enormous payouts for going to war on the other, have created a brutal calculation for some Russian families. A soldier can spend 20 minutes in combat near Pokrovsk or Bakhmut and debts that once seemed impossible to escape can suddenly disappear.
Wives and mothers no longer wait only for a husband or son to return. An official death notice can also mean a payout large enough to transform a family’s finances. The Kremlin receives another piece of cannon fodder, the family receives millions to pay off microloans, and the Russian soldier becomes worth the most when he is dead.
The report was presented by Benjamin Lee on TVP World’s “Break the Fake” programme.
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