While Vladimir Putin asserted that the Ukrainian forces had no chance in their counter-offensive, the Russian Defense Ministry planned to pay a bonus to its soldiers for each enemy tank neutralized.
1,100 euros per target killed. Russian soldiers will receive a sum of money for each target destroyed on the opposing side. This was declared by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday, which also specified that the targets could be armored vehicles supplied to Ukraine by the United States, or tanks manufactured in other Nato countries, such as the German Leopard battle tanks.
For the destruction of an armored vehicle, the soldier will also be entitled to 50,000 rubles (546.62 euros).
More than 10,000 Russian soldiers have already received bonuses since the start of the war in Ukraine. This measure is part of a vast reward program already in force. Air defense operators and military pilots have already received 300,000 rubles (3,272.89 euros) for shooting down a Ukrainian plane or helicopter.
A LONG-STANDING PRACTICE
The practice of financial remuneration for downed enemy military equipment has existed for decades. It was used by the Red Army during the Second World War, after Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.
In addition to the announcement by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday, President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed the dominance of Russian forces at an economic forum in St. Petersburg.
Ukrainian forces have “used their so-called strategic reserves to break through Russian defenses, consolidate their own and advance, but none of these objectives has been achieved”, he declared.