Russia's Desperate Measures: Bonuses, Prisoners, Foreigners Lured to Ukraine War

• Russia is employing various tactics, including offering bonuses, freeing prisoners, and enticing foreigners, to recruit soldiers for the ongoing Ukraine war.
• The incentives include significant payouts for average wage earners, freedom for criminals, and a simplified path to citizenship for immigrants.
• Men from South Asian countries (India, Nepal, Bangladesh) and African nations (Kenya, South Africa) report being tricked into fighting by recruiters promising jobs.
• Despite President Putin's claims of 700,000 troops, casualty numbers remain hidden, with independent reports suggesting over 160,000 Russian troops killed, including over 550 foreigners.
• Recruitment efforts are becoming increasingly expensive for Russia, which faces a slowing economy, as it tries to avoid unpopular nationwide mobilization.

Why It Matters: Russia uses financial incentives, prisoner releases, and foreign recruitment to sustain its Ukraine war effort.