The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and regional authorities are increasingly cutting and delaying non-essential military and recruitment expenditures amid failures to adequately address rising budget deficits. Russian opposition source Verstka reported on October 30 that the Russian MoD proposed a draft order to postpone December payments for Russian military personnel not fighting in Ukraine to January 2027.[15] St. Petersburg online newspaper Fontanka reported on November 3, citing responses from the St. Petersburg military enlistment office, that St. Petersburg reduced its regional one-time recruitment bonuses to 400,000 rubles (roughly $4,940), down from one million rubles (roughly $12,350) in mid-October 2026 and 3.5 million rubles (roughly $43,224) before October 2026.[16]

These bonuses do not include federal payments of 400,000 rubles from the Russian MoD. A Russian propagandist claimed on November 3 that Russian regional authorities have also widely reduced or eliminated death benefits for families of deceased servicemembers throughout 2026, citing compensation cuts ranging from 50 to 100 percent of the original payments in at least a dozen federal subjects.[17] Russia’s force generation model relies on increasingly expensive financial incentives to maintain recruitment rates and avoid a politically risky general mobilization as inflation and battlefield casualties continue to increase.[18] The Kremlin and Russian federal subjects have reduced social spending to finance Russian offensive capabilities and expanded taxes and exports to generate new revenue. The Kremlin is now likely seeking further fiscal relief by cutting military expenditures outside the Ukraine war effort.[19]

…

Russian forces conducted fewer assaults in the Dobropillya direction on November 2 and 3 than on any other day since at least August 1, 2026. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted 13 assaults toward Dobropillya on November 2 and 3 — the lowest number of recorded assaults in this direction since at least August 1.[41] Russian forces have long maintained the highest intensity of assaults toward Dobropillya, attacking 55 times on November 1 and averaging around 28 attacks per day throughout October 2026.[42]

Russia is becoming a vaporware country.