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Russia-Eurasia

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Eurasia is undergoing profound changes. While the Soviet past has left a lasting imprint, Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the South Caucasus have their own trajectory.

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The Eurasian Economic Union
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Date de publication
February 2026

Deathonomics: The Social, Political, and Economic Costs of War in Russia

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Advertising banner promoting contract military service in the Russian Armed Forces, Russia, 24 August 2025
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Advertising banner promoting contract military service in the Russian Armed Forces, Russia, 24 August 2025
Credits : © PhotoChur/Shutterstock.com
Accroche

The report attempts to outline and examine a truly new phenomenon in Russian society, dubbed “deathonomics”—the making of a mercenary army against the backdrop of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, eventually replacing both the Soviet (conscript) and early new Russian (contract) armies. It notes that, by the end of 2023, this trend had turned the military service into one of the highest-paying professions in the country, something not seen in Russia on such a scale since the late 17th century.

Vladislav INOZEMTSEV

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Related centers and programs
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Russie, Eurasie, Carte
Russia/Eurasia Center
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Founded in 2005 within Ifri, the Russia/Eurasia Center conducts research and organizes debates on Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. Its goal is to understand and anticipate the evolution of this complex and rapidly changing geographical area in order to enrich public discourse in France and Europe and to assist in strategic, political, and economic decision-making.

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The Eurasian Economic Union
© justit/Shutterstock