Six Russian regions slash death payments for Ukraine war soldiers

September 15, 2026 at 12:03 AM2 min

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At least six Russian regions have sharply cut one-time payments to families of soldiers killed in Ukraine, with Orenburg Oblast eliminating them entirely from July 1. The cuts follow a record regional budget deficit of 1.5 trillion rubles last year and a 10% year-on-year drop in contract soldier recruitment in the second quarter.

Key Facts

Bashkortostan reduced its death payment from 2 million rubles to 100,000 rubles in stages.
Kirov and Omsk oblasts halved their payments from 1 million to 500,000 rubles.
Ulyanovsk Oblast cut its payment twentyfold, from 1 million to 50,000 rubles.
Orenburg Oblast abolished death payments entirely starting July 1.
Regional budgets posted a record deficit of 1.5 trillion rubles last year.

Regional Payment Cuts

At least six Russian regions have sharply reduced one-time payments to families of soldiers killed in Ukraine, according to Janis Kluge, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Bashkortostan initially paid 2 million rubles, then cut the amount to 1 million, then 500,000, and finally to 100,000 rubles. Kirov and Omsk oblasts halved their payments from 1 million to 500,000 rubles. Ulyanovsk Oblast reduced its payment twentyfold, from 1 million to 50,000 rubles. Orenburg Oblast abolished the payments entirely starting July 1.

Budget Pressures

Regional budgets ended last year with a record deficit of 1.5 trillion rubles. In the first quarter, 56 regions ran deficits, up from 46 in the same period last year, according to the Accounts Chamber. Regional healthcare spending fell 6.4% year on year in January–March. Sberbank's Center for Macroeconomic Research projects the total regional deficit will reach 2 trillion rubles this year, up 500 billion rubles or 33% from 2025.

Recruitment Impact

To meet Kremlin quotas, regions raised the average payment for signing a contract with the Defense Ministry to 3.4 million rubles this year. Despite the higher sign-up bonuses, contract soldier inflow fell 10% year on year in the second quarter. In the first quarter, recruitment dropped 20% to a two-year low of 70,500 people. Kluge said regional death payments play only a minor role in recruitment because recruits do not want to think about their own death when signing a contract.