Head of Russia’s Chuvashia Oleg Nikolayev, following the meeting held between him and the draftees from Chuvashia, has promised to pay the servicemen from the region one-time pay-outs of 50,000 rubles (€800) as compensation for the expenses on buying ammunition and military gear, Nikolayev himself announces in a Telegram post.
The meeting took place after the draftees from Chuvashia had started rioting at a military unit in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk, demanding they be explained when they would be receiving the pay-outs promised by the government.
Nikolayev says that a lot of mobilised men “spent [their own money], bought certain things themselves” and asked that the money be allocated to the draftees “as soon as possible”.
The pay-outs can also be received by Chuvashia draftees that do not have a family, Nikolayev adds.
Furthermore, relatives of the mobilised men have been prohibited from sending them alcohol.
On 1 November, Serditaya Chuvashia (“Angry Chuvashia”) Telegram channel reported a riot of draftees at an assembly point in Russia’s Ulyanovsk. According to the channel, about 100 people took part in the riot. They were unsatisfied with their living conditions and the lack of mobilisation payments. In order to disperse the riot, National Guard units were called in, which managed to “calm down” the protesters.
On 2 November, the Telegram channel reported that the draftees had started to boycott the training exercises. They were expressing dissatisfaction with the fact that regional authorities, employees of the draft offices, and military officials all gave them different terms for when they would be receiving pay-outs and the amount of money the draftees were supposed to be getting.
On 3 November, the Ideal.Realii media outlet reported that the protesting draftees had compiled a list of demands that they plan to present to the head of Chuvashia or his representative. “We’ve found out from deputy head of the republic Vladimir Stepanov that Russia allocated 400 million rubles (€6.46m) from its reserve fund to support the draftees and their families. We demand that these 400 million rubles be equally divided between the draftees and transferred to their personal bank accounts,” the document read. By evening, the draftees were granted a two-day leave.
Yesterday, 6 November, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported that the issues with the draftees from Chuvashia had been solved. According to the committee, the investigators “explained” to the mobilised men “the order and terms of receiving monetary allowance”, while the draftees, “having gotten comprehensive answers”, thanked the agency.
