Russia has paid a cash bonus to more than 10,000 soldiers since the start of the war for destroying or seizing Ukrainian and Western weapons, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Friday.
Russia will pay 300,000 rubles (3,275 euros) for each US HIMARS aircraft, helicopter or multi-launch missile system in Ukraine, 100,000 rubles (1,091 euros) for each tank and 50,000 rubles (546 euros) for armored vehicles and weapons such as multiple-launch missile systems and self-propelled artillery .
“Currently, according to the reports of the commanders of units in Zaporijia and South Donetsk, payments are being made to Russian military personnel who destroyed Leopard tanks in combat, as well as armored fighting vehicles manufactured by the United States and other NATO countries” , he said. Russian military spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Ukraine has been conducting a counter-offensive on these fronts for almost two weeks now.
The Russian Defense Ministry is responding to criticism received during a recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian military correspondents and bloggers who questioned him about the alleged failure to pay soldiers promised for destroying enemy weapons.
Putin replied that for him “the fact that they didn’t pay was something unexpected”.
Konashenkov noted that last year a total of 7,064 Russian military personnel received payments for the destruction of 11,586 Ukrainian military equipment and weapons.
In addition, between January 1 and May 31, 2023, an additional 3,193 soldiers received a special award for the destruction of 4,415 enemy war materials, the spokesman added.
He also indicated that the payments are made according to the orders of the commanders of the military units and are transferred to the bank accounts of the military.
The spokesman also stressed that there is no limit to the total amount a soldier can earn for destroying enemy military equipment.
Konashenkov explained that payments of 300,000 rubles were made for each of the 45 Ukrainian helicopters and 71 Ukrainian Air Force aircraft destroyed by Russian pilots and air defense operators.
The spokesman added that servicemen from units of the ground and airborne forces, as well as the marine corps, including artillery units, received 100,000 rubles for each of the “several hundred tanks” eliminated at the front.
50,000 rubles were also paid for the destruction of 1,501 enemy armored fighting vehicles, 203 self-propelled artillery installations and 85 multi-launch missile systems.
For the destruction of 15 launchers of the Tochka-U tactical complex and HIMARS multi-launch missile systems, the Russian army received payments of 300,000 rubles.
In addition, payments of 50,000 rubles were also made for the successful interception of 941 missiles fired by the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the Tochka-U tactical complexes, the Alder, Smerch, Uragan and HIMARS multiple launch missile systems, as well as the destruction of 1,211 medium-range drones.
Russian naval soldiers who destroyed six Ukrainian naval drones, attacked Russian ships and civilian infrastructure in Crimea were awarded 200,000 rubles (2,183 euros), the military spokesman said.
Source: DN
