ussian Troops Locked Out of Their Money as Commanders Fear Mass Defections, Partisans Report. An ATESH agent embedded with the Russian brigade said the company commander collected all the personnel’s bank cards as the unit prepared to move to the Donetsk region.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/61587

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This won't help the defections, at all. How will the soldiers be able to buy their vodka now?

Two-kilometer lines at gas stations on the Moscow–Kazan highway after Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries. Fuel situation worsening daily.

Russia Grounds Ambitions: Massive Cuts to Aviation, Shipbuilding Budgets. Russia plans to cut funding for aircraft and shipbuilding projects in 2026 by more than half, slashing airline subsidies to zero.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/61826

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Even the poor russians need to travel by plane. Russia has such a large geography that air travel is quite popular. But if the airlines aren't getting subsidies, the jet fuel isn't available all the time, or in any other case, the airlines will have to cut back on the number of flights that they can give to the russian public. This will add on to the frustration by the russian people.

Ukraine and U.S. coordinate Tomahawk transfer details signaling deeper Ukrainian reach.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2025/ukraine-and-u-s-coordinate-tomahawk-transfer-details-signaling-deeper-ukrainian-reach

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Hmmm, it could be that the US will have to approve targets first b4 they can actually send the missles out........ because ukraine already has the flamingo. Either way, Ukraine might up its game in the coming months.

Russia Cuts Soldier Sign-Up Bonuses by 75% in Four Regions Amid Recruitment Crisis

https://united24media.com/latest-news/russia-cuts-soldier-sign-up-bonuses-by-75-in-four-regions-amid-recruitment-crisis-12396

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Russia is running out of $$$$$$. The foreign soldiers that they recruit aren't going to cut it, because they'll care even less about the objective (only in it for the money), and are also difficult to command because they usually speak a different language.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian fighter jet crashes while attempting to land before drone attack on Kyiv

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-kyiv-attack-putin-drones-missiles-latest-b2842921.html

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Russia has lost a handful of jets in the last couple of weeks, and i guess that they have multiple problems from training to lack of flight hours, to maintenance of the planes. Russia's aerial might is failing along with other areas.

If Russia is forced to cut the sign-up bonuses, this could be huge.

But considering recruitments are down by 60% already before the incentive drop it doesn't look like it's related to imminent financial woes - more like a way to save money from a policy that shows signs of outliving it's usefulness since it doesn't seem to attract much interest anymore.