Some wounded Russian soldiers find compensation elusive, despite Putin’s pledge - sources

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin visits soldiers wounded during the conflict in Ukraine at the Mandryk Military Clinical Hospital in Moscow, Russia May 25, 2022. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A week into Moscow’s war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a gesture of solidarity with his soldiers at the front: injured men could claim compensation of three million roubles, equivalent to about $50,000 or the amount an average Russian worker would earn in four years.

“It’s our duty to support the families of our fallen and injured war comrades,” said Putin when he announced it in early March.