MOSCOW. June 5 (Interfax-AVN) - The Finance Ministry has underpaid over RUB20.3bn (USD662.95m) to the servicemen who accomplished combat missions in trouble spots, Vladimir Volkov, deputy chairman of the defense committee in the State Duma lower house of parliament, said on Thursday.
"The Defense Ministry has hyped servicemen who accomplished combat missions in the Chechen Republic and other trouble spots, and they have not received the so-called bonuses for participation in combat totaling over RUB20.3bn," Volkov told parliamentary hearings on the state and development prospects of Russian legislation on army development.
The Duma defense committee receives thousands of letters from servicemen who accomplished missions in Chechnya and other trouble spots, Volkov stressed. "Members of our committee are literally buried under complaints from servicemen who have not received bonuses for participation in combat. If the Finance Ministry does not change its stance in this issue, it will doubtlessly affect the manning of the Armed Forces in the future," he said.