Ukrainian intelligence says Russian soldiers pay to escape Ukrainian frontlines as corruption rises

The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry has reported that the Russian armed forces face issues with sending military personnel for the war in Ukraine as more soldiers seek to leave service and avoid death on the front lines. According to the agency, there has been a sharp increase in registered criminal cases related to bribery incidents within the Russian military. For example, in the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces, the number of criminal cases for illegal discharge from service due to health conditions and unlawful leaves tripled in the first five months of 2024. Nearly half of these cases involved soldiers from Russia's 8th Combined Arms Army. Another 36% of cases are from the 58th Combined Arms Army, whose commander was arrested this spring on corruption charges. Over a hundred cases have been opened against officials of military units in the Southern Military District on bribery charges related to unlawful leave from combat zones. These 38 cases involved soldiers from the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment, engaged in combat operations near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast. Additionally, 35 cases involved soldiers from the 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment, stationed on the border with the Sumy region.

"The level of corruption in the Russian army has always been high, but previously, such incidents of bribery were ignored. Recording these incidents as criminal cases may indicate an increase in the demoralization of the occupying forces and a troubling trend for Moscow of soldiers fleeing the Russian army by any means," emphasized the intelligence.

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