大象传媒

Russians who sign up to fight in Ukraine earn big money in salaries and bonuses 鈥� and the Kremlin is even more generous to families of those killed in battle. Average compensation packages for a dead son or husband are worth about US$130,000. In less-wealthy Russian provinces, where most recruits are from, that鈥檚 enough to turn your life around. Reporter Arsenii Sokolov finds out how the relatives of the tens of thousands of men Russia has lost in the war are spending the money 鈥� and asks whether the pay-outs will help create a new 鈥減atriotic鈥� middle class that supports Vladimir Putin.

He talks to a woman who鈥檚 used her 鈥渃offin money鈥� to open a restaurant in memory of her dead son 鈥� and hears about a craze for ultra-expensive hair-dryers among wives and girlfriends of soldiers from Siberia.

Marrying soldiers has become so attractive that women on dating apps often search specifically for men in uniform.

But the compensation payouts are also fuelling furious court battles, when divorced or separated fathers who鈥檝e played little role in child rearing suddenly reappear after their sons鈥� deaths and demand their share of the coffin money.

Besides the cash, there are many privileges offered to soldiers and their families, and to bereaved relatives of the fallen. Their children can go to university whatever their grades. And the Kremlin has started a programme called 鈥淭ime of Heroes鈥� that claims it will fast-track selected returning servicemen into elite positions in local politics and business. But can Putin鈥檚 attempt at social engineering really work? And will 鈥渄eathonomics鈥� 鈥� as one economist calls it 鈥� really boost the economy of the provinces that have suffered most from the huge death toll?