This is another one of those stories that are so absurd that you think there must be more details to the story that would have Russian authorities deny compensation. There might be, but more likely there isn't. Russia just doesn't want to pay their veterans, period. They don't like it when the permanently disabled return to Russia and act as reminders to others of what awaits them if they're drafted into service. Or worse. So Russia does its best to deny benefits to any who serve in Ukraine.

As with all of these stories, they first appear on Russian Telegram channels and they make it out into wider circulation. Such stories never appear on Russian mainstream news.

Source: New Voice of Ukraine

A Russian soldier from Volgograd Oblast, who was seriously injured fighting against Ukraine, has been compensated by local authorities with kilograms of vegetables, the Telegram news channel iStories reported on Dec. 26.

Oleg Rybkin, 45-years-old, was mobilized on Sept. 25, 2022 and found himself near the village of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhya Oblast, just as the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated the settlement.

He sustained injuries to his abdomen, liver, kidneys, and legs during the following battle.

"He has severe pain, his knee does not bend, and he cannot walk without crutches. He is on painkillers and sleeping pills," his wife said.

Rybkin reportedly needs to have his knee joint replaced but the authorities are not interested in helping him.

Indeed, Rybkin was supposed to be entitled to compensation worth 3 million rubles (approximately $32,000) and receive a life pension.

However the only "help" that he and his family received was two buckets of carrots and a bag of onions.