Russian soldiers scammed and robbed of war cash on return from Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Russian troopers to a hero after they returned from Ukraine, however the BBC discovered circumstances of troopers stole, cherished their salaries and paid them by authorities officers.

For the reason that invasion started in February 2022, President Putin has made three volumes of the Russian military, whereas counting on monetary incentives to draw volunteers.

Like 1000’s of Russians, 39 -year -old Nikita Khorsa went to combat in Ukraine for cash.

Relying on the area, the recruiter can stand up to five.2 million rubles (47,000 kilos) within the first 12 months of service, in addition to as much as 4 million rubles for accidents.

This will attain 600 % of the typical nationwide wage.

For a lot of, which descends from the poorest areas in Russia, it doesn’t resist this regardless of the chance of not returning.

Lahham was initially from a city within the Rostov area, close to Ukraine, Nikita Khorsa spent solely two months on the forefront in the summertime of 2024, earlier than being injured and despatched to the home to recuperate.

This damage earned him an enormous reward, which he and his spouse Oksana deliberate to spend on shopping for an residence.

Nevertheless, after falling along with her one evening to drink it, he stormed, drunk, upset and barefoot – with a plastic bag containing her financial savings in money.

In his alcoholic situation, Khorsa determined to drive to Rostov and purchase an residence there as an alternative.

“If my spouse was extra sensible, she would have advised me to sleep over her and determined within the morning,” regretted the BBC.

He entered his automobile however didn’t drive his automobile far earlier than he stopped by the site visitors police who observed the bag and demanded bribery.

Khorsa advised the 2 officers that he just lately returned from Ukraine.

“Let’s not do that, it simply has simply returned from the struggle.” However the different, he sees the cash, mentioned: “Shut up, are you aware how a lot cash?”

They took nearly all the things – 2.66 million rubles (24,000 kilos).

The officers had no consideration of Vladimir Putin’s guarantees that those that determined to hitch Russia’s struggle towards Ukraine ought to be handled as heroes and “new elite” upon their return.

In one other case, many cops who labored at Moscow airport are suspected of stopping taxi drivers from the troopers getting back from the foreground.

Drivers will provide an inexpensive fare, after which, after finishing the journey, they’ll ask for as much as 15 occasions.

Those that resisted threatened. It was claimed that a few of them had been anesthetized or drunk whereas the thieves used their banking playing cards.

Investigators imagine that the gang took a minimum of 1.5 million rubles of returning troopers.

Typically salaries are stolen earlier than troopers see cash.

In October 2024, the police arrested three workers of the Employment Heart within the Vladimir space to steal greater than 11 million rubles of troopers.

The suspects had been capable of attain their salaries by sustaining the SIM playing cards that had been issued to the brand new recruits and had been linked to the accounts.

In one other case, a neighborhood official from the Belgyroud area is suspected of stealing greater than 1,000,000 rubles from new recruits by linking their financial institution accounts to his cellphone quantity.

Typically troopers are stolen by their leaders.

One of many troopers advised that the BBC had been disadvantaged of accessing shops and ordered the supply of their banking playing cards and suspension numbers to the primary sergeant.

The officer is allegedly ended with 50 salaries, as many individuals now belong to the troopers as lacking at work.

In line with the soldier we talked to, he fled with cash. In line with what was reported, some playing cards had as much as 2 million rubles.

Nikita Khorsa talked about the 2 officers who took his cash to the police.

They had been accused of theft and abuse of energy, however the case didn’t attain the court docket.

Each officers participated to hitch the military and went to Ukraine, and prevented the prosecution beneath a brand new regulation permitting felony suspects to combat as an alternative of going through fees.

“Initially I used to be indignant,” Khorsa advised the BBC from a hospital close to St. Petersburg. “Then I believed, if there’s a god, then this can be what it ought to be.”

He by no means recovered his cash whereas he’s now ready for the navy physician’s choice whether or not he ought to return to the foreground, because the contract troopers should keep within the battle till the tip of the struggle.

Khorsa says he has shrapnel close to his coronary heart, however he doesn’t see a civil future for himself.

He and Oksana are actually divided: He mentioned he didn’t need to hold his spouse tied whereas he was within the military.

“If I’m not right here, it is going to finish on the road,” he says. “Solely the military saves you, places a roof over your head.”