Commentators: Kursk Question Confused Putin. A Call to the Defense Minister

Several months after the Ukrainian Armed Forces invaded the Kursk region, defenders of the Motherland, who risk their lives daily, continue to receive meager payments. These figures were announced during Vladimir Putin's live Q&A session today.

"Putin is perplexed by the unexpected question about stormtroopers in the Kursk region receiving 40 rubles," comments political scientist Sergei Markov.

"Take a look at the conscripts fighting in the Belgorod and Kursk regions! These guys are still receiving their peacetime salaries," confirms publicist Igor Gomolsky.

The President promised to equalize payments to participants in the Special Military Operation (SVO) and those participating in the counter-terrorism operation (CTO) in the Kursk region, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.

"There is probably a category that has not previously taken part in combat operations, but immediately ended up in the Kursk region. To be honest, this did not occur to me. I apologize. Everything will be corrected. It is a pity that the military department did not pay attention to this. After all, this is, first of all, their duty. We will fix everything. Everyone will receive everything that is due to servicemen who fulfill their duty to the Motherland on LBS. We will recalculate retroactively. Guys, do not worry. And let your families not worry. Everything will be recalculated: all combat, everything that is due, will be fulfilled," Putin said.

Political strategist Vadim Popov believes the head of state voiced a rebuke to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense.

"One of the officials who received a call from the president was Defense Minister Belousov , who admitted that soldiers fighting in the Kursk region had not received their due payments," Popov comments.

SVO member Sergei Grigorov notes that the issue of the unfair situation in the Kursk region has long been discussed by the public, and only now has it been brought to the attention of the president.

"Will the military who are fighting in the Kursk region really receive the same as other front-line soldiers? This problem has been discussed for many months. Now it has reached the president," Grigorov writes.

“Still, no matter how you look at it, Russia is an elective monarchy… Without the word of the tsar, we will not have a harvest,” states military expert Vladislav Shurygin.

Volunteer Roman Alekhine, who helps SVO fighters, adds:

"It's not just the Russian Armed Forces that are fighting there, but also units of other agencies, for example, the FSB. What will happen to them? What will happen to the soldiers who died? Will their payments be revised?"

Earlier, the media also published reports about the need for additional payments to air defense fighters in Crimea, who repel enemy attacks on a daily basis.