Zelensky raises military pay and seeks foreign mercenaries
Ukraine raises military pay to as much as 8,000 euros and eases enlistment for foreign mercenaries to cover combat losses. Mercenary or suicide mission?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Zelensky raises military pay and seeks foreign mercenaries
Can Ukraine cover its combat losses with checks of up to 8,000 euros a month? Volodymyr Zelensky's government has announced a package of measures that includes pay raises for frontline troops and a campaign to attract foreign volunteers. With around two million citizens dodging mobilization, according to data from Libertad Digital, the bet is clear: money and flexible contracts to hold the front line.
The new military contracts offer terms of 10, 14 or 24 months, with guaranteed periods and loyalty bonuses. Pay can reach 5,800 euros a month for personnel in combat, and sources cited in the discussion suggest that specialists and extra risks could push it up to 8,000 euros. In any case, that money comes out of the European taxpayer's pocket through EU financial aid.
The profile of the mercenary Kyiv is looking for
The plan includes making it easier for foreign volunteers to join. Although the government does not specify nationalities, the discussions suggest recruitment would target lower-income countries: Colombia, North Africa or the Middle East are mentioned. Some analysts point out that a 6,000-euro salary is a huge draw for a Colombian or a Segarro, but the casualty rate on the Ukrainian front makes the risk-reward equation dubious. As one comment puts it: "The dead don't get paid anything."
The trick of the missing bodies
One of the sharpest arguments going around is that, in practice, casualties are not declared as such if there is no body. A practice that would allow the real losses to be glossed over and compensation payments to families avoided. "If there's no body, technically you're not dead," one participant quips. The high rate of death and mutilation at the front makes mercenary recruitment a high-risk business for anyone who signs up.
At the time of writing, the Kremlin has not officially reacted to the announcement, but Russian propaganda is already using it as proof of Kyiv's "desperation." The truth is that, with a battered war economy and a population fleeing conscription, Ukraine is betting on cash in hand. We shall see if the trick works.
Related discussions in the forum
Can Ukraine cover its combat losses with checks of up to 8,000 euros a month? Volodymyr Zelensky's government has announced a package of measures that includes pay raises for frontline troops and a campaign to attract foreign volunteers. With around two million citizens dodging mobilization, according to data from Libertad Digital, the bet is clear: money and flexible contracts to hold the front line.
The new military contracts offer terms of 10, 14 or 24 months, with guaranteed periods and loyalty bonuses. Pay can reach 5,800 euros a month for personnel in combat, and sources cited in the discussion suggest that specialists and extra risks could push it up to 8,000 euros. In any case, that money comes out of the European taxpayer's pocket through EU financial aid.
The profile of the mercenary Kyiv is looking for
The plan includes making it easier for foreign volunteers to join. Although the government does not specify nationalities, the discussions suggest recruitment would target lower-income countries: Colombia, North Africa or the Middle East are mentioned. Some analysts point out that a 6,000-euro salary is a huge draw for a Colombian or a Segarro, but the casualty rate on the Ukrainian front makes the risk-reward equation dubious. As one comment puts it: "The dead don't get paid anything."
The trick of the missing bodies
One of the sharpest arguments going around is that, in practice, casualties are not declared as such if there is no body. A practice that would allow the real losses to be glossed over and compensation payments to families avoided. "If there's no body, technically you're not dead," one participant quips. The high rate of death and mutilation at the front makes mercenary recruitment a high-risk business for anyone who signs up.
At the time of writing, the Kremlin has not officially reacted to the announcement, but Russian propaganda is already using it as proof of Kyiv's "desperation." The truth is that, with a battered war economy and a population fleeing conscription, Ukraine is betting on cash in hand. We shall see if the trick works.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (37 replies).
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