Russian soldiers scammed and robbed of war cash on return from Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin promised Russian soldiers to a hero when they returned from Ukraine, but the BBC found cases of soldiers stole, loved their salaries and paid them by government officials.

Since the invasion began in February 2022, President Putin has made three volumes of the Russian army, while relying on financial incentives to attract volunteers.

Like thousands of Russians, 39 -year -old Nikita Khorsa went to fight in Ukraine for money.

Depending on the region, the recruiter can get up to 5.2 million rubles (47,000 pounds) in the first year of service, as well as up to 4 million rubles for injuries.

This can reach 600 % of the average national wage.

For many, which descends from the poorest areas in Russia, it does not resist this despite the risk of not returning.

Lahham was originally from a town in the Rostov region, near Ukraine, Nikita Khorsa spent only two months at the forefront in the summer of 2024, before being injured and sent to the house to recover.

This injury earned him a huge reward, which he and his wife Oksana planned to spend on buying an apartment.

However, after falling with her one night to drink it, he stormed, drunk, upset and barefoot – with a plastic bag containing her savings in cash.

In his alcoholic condition, Khorsa decided to drive to Rostov and buy an apartment there instead.

“If my wife was more wise, she would have told me to sleep over her and decided in the morning,” regretted the BBC.

He entered his car but did not drive his car far before he stopped by the traffic police who noticed the bag and demanded bribery.

Khorsa told the two officers that he recently returned from Ukraine.

“Let’s not do this, it just has just returned from the war.” But the other, he sees the money, said: “Shut up, do you know how much money?”

They took almost everything – 2.66 million rubles (24,000 pounds).

The officers had no consideration of Vladimir Putin’s promises that those who decided to join Russia’s war against Ukraine should be treated as heroes and “new elite” upon their return.

In another case, many police officers who worked at Moscow airport are suspected of preventing taxi drivers from the soldiers returning from the foreground.

Drivers will offer a reasonable fare, and then, after completing the trip, they will ask for up to 15 times.

Those who resisted threatened. It was claimed that some of them were anesthetized or drunk while the thieves used their banking cards.

Investigators believe that the gang took at least 1.5 million rubles of returning soldiers.

Sometimes salaries are stolen before soldiers see money.

In October 2024, the police arrested three employees of the Employment Center in the Vladimir area to steal more than 11 million rubles of soldiers.

The suspects were able to reach their salaries by maintaining the SIM cards that were issued to the new recruits and were linked to the accounts.

In another case, a local official from the Belgyroud region is suspected of stealing more than a million rubles from new recruits by linking their bank accounts to his phone number.

Sometimes soldiers are stolen by their leaders.

One of the soldiers told that the BBC had been deprived of accessing stores and ordered the delivery of their banking cards and suspension numbers to the main sergeant.

The officer is allegedly ended with 50 salaries, as many people now belong to the soldiers as missing at work.

According to the soldier we talked to, he fled with money. According to what was reported, some cards had up to 2 million rubles.

Nikita Khorsa mentioned the two officers who took his money to the police.

They were accused of theft and abuse of power, but the case did not reach the court.

Both officers participated to join the army and went to Ukraine, and avoided the prosecution under a new law allowing criminal suspects to fight instead of facing charges.

“Initially I was angry,” Khorsa told the BBC from a hospital near St. Petersburg. “Then I thought, if there is a god, then this may be what it should be.”

He never recovered his money while he is now waiting for the military doctor’s decision whether he should return to the foreground, as the contract soldiers must stay in the battle until the end of the war.

Khorsa says he has shrapnel near his heart, but he does not see a civil future for himself.

He and Oksana are now divided: He said he did not want to keep his wife tied while he was in the army.

“If I am not here, it will end on the street,” he says. “Only the army saves you, puts a roof over your head.”

Examination fees by Natalia Maca.