Soldiers from Moscow will now earn almost £50,000 for their first year of service, the city has announced, about four times the average annual wage.
The increased payment – which includes sign-up bonuses, monthly wages and regional handouts – is part of the Kremlin’s drive to find the 25,000 men a month it needs to sustain Russia’s front-line force in Ukraine.
“The total amount of payments to a contract serviceman (taking into account monthly salary and Moscow and federal support measures) will exceed 5.2 million rubles [£46,147] for the first year of service,” Moscow’s city administration said in an announcement on Tuesday.
The scheme includes a one-time payment of 1.9 million rubles (£16,863) that is only available to residents of the Russian capital.