# Russia offers cash bonuses, frees prisoners and lures foreigners to replenish its troops in Ukraine

- Link: https://www.widthness.com/russia-offers-cash-bonuses-frees-prisoners-and-lures-foreigners-to-replenish-its-troops-in-ukraine/
- Published: 2026-01-28T09:00:00-06:00
- Author: Curated by John Wysocki

Photo: Soldiers’ graves at the Preobrazhenskoye Cemetery in Moscow – August 12, 2008. Photo credit: A.Savin via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0. Article by Dasha Litvinova. AP News – January 26, 2026. For average wage earners in Russia, it’s a big payday. For criminals seeking to escape the harsh conditions and abuse in prison, it’s a chance at freedom. For immigrants hoping for a better life, it’s a simplified path to citizenship. All they have to do is sign a contract to fight in Ukraine. As Russia seeks to replenish its forces in nearly four years of war — and avoid an unpopular nationwide mobilization — it’s pulling out all the stops to find new troops to send into the battlefield. […] Click here to view original web page at www.apnews.com Curated by John Wysocki Chief Technical Officer See Full Bio