Russia Seeks to Reclaim Payments from Contract Soldiers Breaking Laws at Home
Russia's Defence Ministry Targets Payouts Amid Rising Domestic Offences
Background on One-Off Payments for Contract Soldiers
Sept 8 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry wants to claim back part of a one-off payout from contract service personnel found guilty of criminal offences at home, a document showed, amid increasing cases of domestic violence among those fighting Russia's war on Ukraine.
Russia provides a minimum one-off payment of 400,000 roubles ($4,640) for soldiers signing at least a one-year contract to fight in the war with Ukraine that Moscow calls "a special military operation". Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
In practice, one-off payouts may reach a few million roubles per soldier, depending on the region, in addition to a monthly salary. Russia is also reducing sentences for those serving time in prison in exchange for signing up for the war, among other benefits, as it seeks to bolster army numbers.
Domestic Violence and Legal Repercussions
Increase in Domestic Violence Cases
Russia has seen a rise in domestic violence as fighters return home for leave, and the defence ministry wants to claim part of the one-off payments "in order to increase the motivation of military personnel to comply with the law", in case of a criminal offence, a draft law published on Monday showed.
Draft Law on Reclaiming Payments
Conditions for Repayment
If active contract service members are found guilty of a criminal offence which does not imply a prison sentence, they should pay back a portion of the one-off payout based on the months of the service left, the document showed.
Lack of Official Statistics
Russia does not disclose official statistics on domestic violence committed by its service personnel but independent media, citing military courts data, reported hundreds of such cases, including murders, since the start of the 2022 invasion.
Additional Information
($1 = 86.2455 roubles)
(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; editing by Lincoln Feast.)
