Bonuses reduced for Russian military recruits

Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. Our top story looks at reductions to the bonuses paid to military recruits, a break with the trend of the last two years. We also analyze the Central Bank’s decision to cut interest rates. 

Some Russian regions slash payments to contract soldiers

For the first time since Russia began using large sign-up bonuses to lure men to volunteer to fight in Ukraine, these financial inducements are being cut. The regions that are reducing the bonuses are not facing any particular financial problems—it seems they just no longer feel the need to fund a nationwide recruitment campaign.