Russian Soldiers Scammed After Returning From Ukraine

The Promises and Perils of Service in Russia's War

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly assured soldiers returning from Ukraine that they will be treated as heroes and the new elite. However, recent reports reveal a stark contrast between these promises and the reality faced by many servicemen. Cases have emerged where soldiers have been robbed, scammed, or otherwise exploited by government officials, undermining the very incentives that initially drew them to join the war effort.

Since the invasion began in February 2022, Putin has significantly expanded the Russian military, using financial incentives to attract volunteers. For many, especially those from poorer regions, the opportunity to earn substantial sums in a short time is too tempting to ignore. A recruit can receive up to 5.2 million roubles (£47,000) in the first year of service, plus additional payments for injuries, which can amount to 600% of the average national wage. This financial lure has drawn thousands, including 39-year-old Nikita Khursa, a welder from the Rostov region near Ukraine.

Khursa spent just a few months on the front lines in the summer of 2024 before being wounded and sent home. His injury earned him a significant bonus, which he and his wife Oksana planned to use for buying a flat. However, after a heated argument over his drinking, Khursa left their home barefoot, carrying their savings in cash. In a drunken state, he decided to drive to Rostov to purchase an apartment instead.

"If my wife had been wiser, she would have told me to sleep over it and decide in the morning," he later lamented. Unfortunately, his decision led to a troubling encounter with traffic police. When stopped, the officers noticed the bag of cash and demanded a bribe. One officer suggested not proceeding, noting that Khursa had recently returned from the war. But the other officer, seeing the money, insisted on taking it. They took almost everything—2.66 million roubles (£24,000).

This incident highlights the disregard for Putin’s promises of heroism and respect for those who serve. Similar cases have been reported elsewhere. In Moscow, police officers at an airport are suspected of tipping off taxi drivers about returning soldiers. These drivers would offer reasonable fares but then demand up to 15 times more after the ride. Some soldiers resisted and were threatened, while others were allegedly drugged or intoxicated, allowing thieves to access their bank cards.

In another case, three staff members of a recruitment center in the Vladimir region were arrested for stealing over 11 million roubles from soldiers. They managed to access salary accounts by retaining the SIM cards issued to recruits. In the Belgorod region, a local official is suspected of stealing over a million roubles by linking recruits’ bank accounts to his own phone number.

Some soldiers have even been robbed by their own commanders. One serviceman recounted how his unit was denied access to shops and ordered to hand over their bank cards and PIN numbers to a sergeant major. The officer allegedly collected 50 salary cards, many belonging to soldiers now listed as missing in action. According to the soldier, he fled with the money, and some cards reportedly had up to 2 million roubles on them.

Khursa reported the robbery to the police, and the officers were charged with robbery and abuse of power. However, the case never reached court. Both officers signed up to join the army, avoiding prosecution under a law that allows criminal suspects to fight instead of facing charges.

"At first I was angry," Khursa told the DISCOVER TREND from a hospital near Saint Petersburg. "Then I thought, if there is a God, maybe this is how it should be." He never got his money back and is now awaiting a military doctor's decision on whether he must return to the front, as contract soldiers are required to stay until the end of the war.

Khursa says he has shrapnel near his heart, but does not see a civilian future for himself. He and Oksana have since split up, as he doesn't want to keep his wife tied down while he is in the military. "If I'm not here, I'll end up on the street," he says. "Only the army saves you, puts a roof over your head."