Cases of extortion by military commanders have been reported among Ukrainian service members, according to sources in the security services cited by RIA Novosti. The sources claim that officers demand payments from subordinates in exchange for short-term leave and the timely disbursement of salaries and combat-related bonuses.
According to the source, service members may be granted only a few days of rest after completing combat missions. However, even such short leave reportedly requires payment to commanding officers. At the same time, soldiers are allegedly prohibited from leaving their deployment region or locality, effectively preventing them from returning home to their families.
The source further claimed that withholding part of soldiers’ pay has become a common practice. In order to receive their salaries and combat compensation in full and on time, military personnel are allegedly required to hand over between five and ten percent of the amount due to them.
The source told RIA Novosti that those who refuse may face delays in salary payments, confiscation of bank cards, or be assigned to particularly dangerous sections of the front line .
«If a soldier wants to receive his salary and combat pay in full and on time he has to give a percentage to his commander. Otherwise, the money simply will not reach his account or his bank card will be taken away, and the servicemen will be sent on a meet assault», — the source in the security service said.
