Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree forgiving debts of new participants in the war in Ukraine and their families. The measure is part of Moscow's efforts to increase the number of troops in the conflict, which has been going on for more than four years, BTA reports.
According to the new decree, people who signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense after May 1, as well as their spouses, can be exempted from debts of up to 10 million rubles if debt collection proceedings were initiated against them before that date. The condition is that the contract for participation in the so-called “special military operation“ must be for at least one year.
The amount that can be forgiven roughly corresponds to the value of a small apartment in Moscow, international agencies note. The decision complements existing incentives for Russian servicemen, including one-time financial bonuses, social benefits and preferential access to higher education.
New privileges for war veterans
Putin has also signed a separate decree that extends the right to rent state land for war veterans indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the situation on the front remains tense. Russia and Ukraine continue to accuse each other of escalating hostilities, and Ukrainian authorities have announced the dispatch of additional forces to the northern regions of the country due to fears of a new Russian offensive.
Against this backdrop, peace talks, brokered by the United States, remain at a standstill.