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● LIVE Updated 2h ago · 9 sources tracked

Russian Defense Ministry to propose delaying troop salary payments, media reports

The Russian Defense Ministry intends to shift December salary payments for military personnel to January, citing a sharp increase in the year-end budget deficit. This marks the first time in at least 18 years that the ministry has planned such a delay. While the general military workforce faces postponed pay, the Joint Group of Forces currently fighting in Ukraine will reportedly be exempt and receive their payments before the new year.

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⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
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  • ✓ The Russian Defense Ministry plans to move December military salary payments to January.
  • ✓ The delay is attributed to a budget deficit.
  • ✓ This is the first time in at least 18 years that military pay has been pushed into the following year.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 9 independent reporting domains (90% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

The Russian Defense Ministry proposes pushing military salaries into January for the first time in nearly two decades.

Live updates

  1. Russia plans to delay December military pay until January

    The Russian Defense Ministry intends to shift December salary payments for military personnel to January, citing a sharp increase in the year-end budget deficit. This marks the first time in at least 18 years that the ministry has planned such a delay. While the general military workforce faces postponed pay, the Joint Group of Forces currently fighting in Ukraine will reportedly be exempt and receive their payments before the new year.

    Why it matters

    The move signals a funding crunch for the Russian army amid ongoing war expenditures. It highlights the tension between maintaining frontline morale and managing a growing budget gap.

    What is confirmed

    • The Russian Defense Ministry plans to move December military salary payments to January.
    • The delay is attributed to a budget deficit.
    • This is the first time in at least 18 years that military pay has been pushed into the following year.

    Still unconfirmed

    • The Joint Group of Forces fighting in Ukraine will be exempt from the delay and paid before the new year.

    What to watch next

    • Official confirmation of the payment schedule from the Russian Ministry of Defense
    • Reaction from military personnel regarding the pay delay
    • Updated budget figures for the Russian defense sector for the end of 2026
    Sources used for this update (9)
    1. kyivindependent.com — The Kyiv Independent — News from Ukraine, Eastern Europe
    2. The Kyiv Independent — Russian Defense Ministry to propose delaying troop salary payments, media reports
    3. Bloomberg.com — Russia Looks to Delay Defense Ministry Pay Amid Budget Gap
    4. UNITED24 Media — Russia Plans to Push Military Salaries Into 2027 for First Time in at Least 18 Years
    5. RBC-Ukraine — Putin faces army funding crunch as Russian MoD postpones December military pay
    6. mezha.net — Russia Plans to Shift December Military Pay to January From 2026
    7. kyivindependent.com — Russian Defense Ministry to propose delaying troop salary ...
    8. unn.ua — Russia plans to delay Defense Ministry pay for the first time ...
    9. newsukraine.rbc.ua — Russian Ministry of Defense to delay December military ...
    confidence 90%
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