40 "volunteer" units have been set up in 20 Russian regions for war in Ukraine – Russian media

UKRAINSKA PRAVDA – MONDAY, 8 AUGUST, 12:05

Russia has been forming so-called "volunteer" units for the war in Ukraine since the spring; 40 such units have already been set up in 20 regions.

Source: the Russian financial newspaper Kommersant

Quote: "Information about them [the units - ed.] is published in the media and posted on the authorities’ social media; they are given special names that indicate their territorial affiliation in some way. As a rule, these units comprise residents of the region where they are formed, who undergo training and combat coordination together, and then go together to the SMO [‘special military operation’, i.e. war - ed.]."

Details: In some regions one unit is being formed, but other regions have two, three or more.

The "volunteers" sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation for a period of several months with the possibility of extension and officially become professional soldiers.

A federal official told Kommersant, on condition of anonymity, that the contract units are being formed on a territorial basis because that makes it more convenient to work with the "volunteers".

The payments promised for participation in the war depend on the region and range from 130,000 [approximately US$2,000] to 300,000 roubles [approximately US$5,000]. The regional governments, in turn, are prepared to make one-off payments, but it is not always possible to receive them immediately.

Previously:

According to Ukrainian intelligence data, a new wave of forced "mobilisation" was launched in the Russian-occupied territories of Donbas on 1 August in order to staff mobilisation reserve units.

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