A probe by an independent Russian newspaper into over one thousand instances of bribery and corruption in the Russian military details an endemic system of set-rate illicit payments for an array of services for troops and commanders, according to the UK Defense Ministry’s intelligence update.
- Following a review of over a thousand military bribery cases, on 30 January 2024 independent Russian newspaper Verstka published an article on corruption in the Russian Army. Their research identified patterns of corruption and a system of bribes used by Russian servicemembers and their commanders. Bribes were given or demanded for various ‘services’ such as: leave, certification of physical training, military rank, driver licenses, and avoiding disciplinary action against soldiers for using smartphones or who get drunk.
- After February 2022 the set of ‘services’ was expanded to include injury certificates, awards for participating in the ‘Special Military Operation’ and avoiding being sent on a combat mission. This activity can be very lucrative for corrupt officers. Verstka published the going rates for these ‘services’, ranging from 40,000 roubles (GBP £425) to avoid being sent to the front line up to 1 million roubles (GBP £10.575) for an injury certificate.
- Corruption has long been a problem in the Russian Armed Forces. The journalist Dmitry Kholodov investigated military corruption in the 1990s and was killed in Moscow by a bomb in a briefcase in October 1994. If is likely that corruption significantly undermines the effectiveness of the Russian military. There is only a remote chance that significant progress will be made in reducing corruption levels.
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