200,000 to die at the front: a deadly social lift for Russians

For Russian soldiers, Putin's war in Ukraine is first and foremost a bloodbath. But it is also a social lift for the families of soldiers ready to go to the front. Signing bonuses and death benefits can reach considerable sums.

Since February 2022, Russia has lost nearly a million soldiers in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, an unverifiable figure that includes the dead, wounded and missing, making this the deadliest conflict in recent Russian history. Despite this toll, the Kremlin continues to recruit soldiers on a massive scale, attracting large numbers of contract soldiers thanks to high bonuses, especially in poor and rural regions.

In 2025, almost 90,000 new soldiers were recruited in the first quarter, up 22% on 2024, but down on the end of the previous year.

The majority of recruits are men aged between 30 and 40, often married, with children and... debts, for whom war represents a major financial opportunity, even a salutary social lift.

Signing bonuses and compensation in the event of death could reach very large sums, far exceeding local salaries, which motivated many Russians to enlist despite the risks.

This system, which is widely accepted by the population, enables the Kremlin to limit the mobilisation of the urban and wealthy classes, thereby buying a form of social peace.

(MH with FL - Source : La Dépêche - Picture : Unsplash)