Overview
- A regional decree signed by Vice Governor Mikhail Orlov on Oct. 24 sets a 450,000‑ruble one‑time payment for contracts concluded between Oct. 28 and Dec. 31, 2025.
- On Oct. 28 the government of Saratov Oblast terminated its recruiter bounty program ahead of schedule.
- Recruiter fees in Saratov began in December 2024 at 10,000 rubles per recruit and were later raised to 50,000 and then 150,000 rubles.
- Saratov previously paid 700,000 rubles from Feb. 1 to Aug. 24, 2025, then increased the bonus to 2.2 million rubles from Aug. 25 before the new cut took effect.
- Other regions have reduced enlistment bonuses, with reports noting Orenburg’s drop from 2 million to 400,000 rubles, and investigative tallies cite roughly 400 million rubles spent on Saratov’s recruiter incentives alongside reported heavy local casualties.