Russia proposes reclaiming contract bonuses from soldiers convicted of crimes

The Russian Ministry of Defence has proposed a draft law that would allow the state to reclaim portions of one-off signing bonuses from contract soldiers found guilty of criminal offenses committed within Russia.

According to the draft law, if active contract service members are convicted of a crime that does not result in a prison sentence, they must repay a portion of their initial payout. The amount to be returned would be calculated based on the number of months remaining in their service period. The Ministry stated the measure aims to ‘increase the motivation of military personnel to comply with the law’.

This proposal follows reports of rising domestic violence cases involving soldiers returning home on leave. While official statistics are not disclosed, independent media reports suggest hundreds of cases, including murders, have occurred since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Currently, Russia provides a minimum one-off payment of 400,000 roubles (approximately $4,640) for soldiers signing at least one-year contracts, though regional variations can push these totals into the millions of roubles. These financial incentives are part of broader efforts to bolster military numbers.