Russia may have conscripted tens of thousands of residents from the occupied regions into the war
Russia may have mobilized at least 88,000 residents of the temporarily occupied territories to fight in the war against Ukraine. This estimate was released by representatives of the "Eastern Human Rights Group," who drew attention to data from the Russian bank "PSB" regarding the number of special cards issued to participants in the so-called "special military operation."
Human rights activists believe that this figure may be one of the few publicly available indicators that allows for an assessment of the scale of the involvement of residents of the occupied territories in the war on Russia’s side.
The "Eastern Human Rights Group" reported that they had taken note of information from the Russian bank "PSB." The financial institution announced the issuance of 88,000 "SVOi" electronic cards in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. At first glance, it may seem that this is just another digital service for the military. However, human rights activists emphasize that it is precisely this kind of data that allows us to at least partially understand the true extent of the local population’s involvement in the war.
According to them, official statistics on the number of residents of the occupied territories participating in combat operations on Russia’s side are virtually nonexistent. Therefore, any publicly available figures become an important source for analyzing the situation. According to human rights activists, the “SVOi” card is issued to people who have been granted the status of combatants within Russian armed formations.
It serves several functions at once. It is not only a bank card but also an ID and a tool for receiving various government payments, compensation, and social benefits. In fact, this system allows a person to confirm their status as a combatant and receive the benefits provided for them. This is precisely why the number of cards issued has drawn the attention of human rights activists.
The Eastern Human Rights Group believes that the figure of 88,000 cards may indicate the significant scale of the involvement of residents of the occupied territories in the Russian military system. Human rights activists emphasize that this is not merely about participation in combat operations. In their view, Russia is simultaneously creating an entire social system that binds people to the occupation administration through payments, statuses, and benefits.
This creates a distinct segment of the population that receives financial support and certain privileges in exchange for service or participation in structures linked to the Russian authorities. Experts note that in recent years, Moscow has been actively developing its own system of social benefits and public services in the occupied territories.
Residents are offered Russian passports, pensions, bank cards, various benefits, and payments. At the same time, mechanisms are being created to incentivize participation in military structures or cooperation with the occupying authorities. According to human rights activists, such practices allow the Kremlin not only to replenish its own military resources but also to gradually integrate the occupied territories into the Russian administrative space.
The Eastern Human Rights Group emphasizes that the published data does not allow for determining with 100% accuracy the number of people directly fighting on the front lines. However, the figure of 88,000 issued cards is an important indicator demonstrating the scale of the processes taking place in the occupied territories.
Human rights activists believe that such data deserves special attention, as it may indicate a systematic Russian policy of involving the local population in the war and strengthening its own control over the occupied regions. This was stated by the Eastern Human Rights Group.
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