Putin offers debt relief for newly recruited fighters in Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Monday freeing new army recruits of debts of up to 10 million rubles ($139,000), as Moscow continues to roll out financial incentives to lure more men to fight in Ukraine.
Russia has for more than four years offered lucrative salaries to men signing up to take part in its full-scale offensive against Ukraine.
The decree, published by the Kremlin, makes Russians who signed an army contract after May 1 this year and their spouses eligible for the debt exemption.
The army contract should be signed for a minimum of one year and be for “fulfilling the tasks of the special military operation” — the Kremlin’s term for its war against Ukraine.
The decree is the latest economic support measure for Moscow’s troops in Ukraine.
Russia’s economy has been on a war footing for more than four years, with the needs of the army taking priority over other sectors.
Putin has also advocated for the social lifting of Ukraine war veterans, calling on fighters returning from the front to be given high-profile professional roles back home.