Bank of Finland reveals Russia's war recruitment predominately targets Asia's poor

Men from predominantly poor and secluded parts of Asia, such as Tuva bordering Mongolia, are the primary recruitment source for the Russian army, as revealed in an analysis conducted by the Bank of Finland. Since the commencement of the mobilization, the volume of household bank deposits in these regions has seen an upsurge of over 50 percent.

This remarkable rise in funds is the outcome of the salaries earned by soldiers, along with the compensation provided for serious injuries or fatalities occurring during the war. The Russian authorities officially do not disclose data concerning the number of individuals mobilized or their locations nor about the casualty figures from the frontlines.

Yet, insights on the magnitude of Russian mobilization can be extrapolated from the analysis of Russia's regional bank data, as highlighted in a report published by the Institute of Emerging Economies from the Bank of Finland.

Economic indicators and other institutional factors do not explain such swift escalation in the residents' deposit sizes within these regions, since incomes are generally below the minimum wage throughout Russia - argues Laura Solanko, the author of the report and a research specialist in the Russian economy, including the execution of sanctions on the Kremlin.

A yearly increase of over 25 percent in deposit size was observed in several regions in August 2023, nearly one year following the announcement of the Russian mobilization. The largest increase, recorded at 53 percent, was in Tuva. About 90 percent of the residents in this republic are Tuvans, a group of Turkish descent. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is also a Tuva native, as the Finnish media noted.

Other regions such as Siberian locales Buryatia and Altai Krai, North Caucasus' Chechnya, and Kalmykia by the Caspian Sea are also featured on the list. The report emphasizes that the majority of these local communities are not of Slavic descent.

Soldiers from these poorer regions were drawn towards the army due to exceptionally high wages, in contrast with their regular earnings, for participating in the war.

In August 2022 it was reported that the average monthly salary in Russia was around 62,000 rubles or roughly £630. In the Caucasian and Siberian regions, it was lower, around 35,000 - 53,000 rubles, but a contracted soldier was promised 700,000 rubles (approximately £7,000), effectively equivalent to an annual income.

As per a decree from the head of state in 2022, compensation for injuries sustained during combat can run to several million rubles. In the event of death, an even greater amount is owed to the relatives, as emphasized in the Finnish media.