Kathrine Frich
War is often sold as a path to money, stability or escape from hardship.
For many, the promise of high pay can outweigh the risks at least at first.
But behind those promises, some soldiers describe a very different reality, where survival itself comes at a cost.
Pay to survive
In its reporting, Meduza cited by Onet, spoke to current and former Russian soldiers who said money quickly became a tool for survival rather than reward.
According to their accounts, troops were forced to hand over large portions of their salaries to commanders. Payments were allegedly made to avoid dangerous assignments or secure safer positions.
One soldier, Ilya, said: “If you don’t want to go to the positions, pay.”
Bribes and threats
Several accounts describe a system where refusing to pay could lead to being sent into so-called “meat assaults.”
Mikhail, 20, recalled: “My platoon commander said that if I didn’t want to go on a ‘meat assault,’ I had to give the battalion commander a gift.”
He said he handed over large sums of money, originally intended as a signing bonus, to avoid being deployed to high-risk missions.
Money flow
Soldiers described constant collections for equipment, fuel, food and other supplies, often under unclear circumstances.
Georgiy said: “Someone turned the special military operation into a business, it’s terrifying.”
According to testimonies, these payments were frequent, sometimes monthly, and could reach hundreds of thousands of rubles.
Accounts gathered by Meduza also describe poor living conditions, lack of proper supplies and harsh treatment by commanders.
Samir said: “They treated us like animals.” He added: “What they show on TV is lies.”
Looting claims
Some of the most serious allegations involve commanders taking money and valuables from dead soldiers.
Samir described how items were removed from bodies after combat: “Unzip a bulletproof vest from a corpse, reach into a pocket, it costs nothing.”
He also claimed that bank cards and personal belongings were taken from troops before missions, with little expectation they would return.
No easy exit
Leaving military service was described as extremely difficult, even for the wounded.
Ilya said attempts to terminate contracts through legal channels were unsuccessful.
Others claimed that even severe injuries did not guarantee release, with some soldiers allegedly forced back into combat.
Sources: Meduza, Onet.pl
