“A Russian conscript born in Ukraine, seldom fed and not paid in five months!”
Looking at the most recently released Russian budget projections, some analysts (I think it was ISW, not sure) were saying that it appeared that the Russian intention seemed to be to withhold pay across broad swathes of the Military in the near term (dropping it from the budget). Just not enough money to go around.
Their Military expenses have shot up several times over, while their Government revenues have cratered.
Russia was paying its soldiers with an account at Gazprombank that received payments from Germany for gas. That’s gone now, obviously.
—”it appeared that the Russian intention seemed to be to withhold pay across broad swathes of the Military”
Also, I believe the units pay in cash. (Common in US when I served.)
It is common Russian practice for the Company Commander to deduct for standard issue items. (Part of his extra pay package).
It sometimes gets worse, if it becomes known someone has received money from home, which is also taken, often by force.