On January 1, a Russian government decree came into force, which cancels the one-time cash payment to prisoners for signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to participate in the war against Ukraine.
The legislative cancellation of the one-time payment is evidence of the deepening crisis in the Russian economy and a shortage of financial resources.
Previously, prisoners received a one-time payment of 1,718 USD for the contract. In July 2024, the payment amount increased to 3,524 USD. At the same time, prisoners, as well as their relatives, have been deprived of several payments and benefits available to participants in volunteer formations. Furthermore, the salaries of such individuals are two to four times lower than those of other occupiers.
As of November 2024, Russia has enlisted between 140,000 and 180,000 individuals to participate in the Russian-Ukrainian war, all of whom were serving sentences for crimes in Russian prisons.
By 2024, there were approximately 300,000–350,000 prisoners in Russian colonies and prisons. This is half the number compared to 2014. The reason for the reduction is the Russian-Ukrainian war.
