The Wartime ‘Coffin Money’ Transforming Russia’s Poorest Regions | WSJ

Russian soldiers receive millions of rubles when signing contracts for the war. This injection of cash is transforming the social fabric of remote Russian cities, such as Ulan-Ude, in Russia’s Buryatia region. New apartments and cars purchased with war money come with a hefty price tag: as modern real estate is being built, graves are piling up, and a generation of men is disappearing. WSJ spent months interviewing current and former residents of Ulan-Ude, and analyzing social media footage, to offer a rare look at how war money is transforming the remote Russian city. Chapters: 0:00 Russia’s war boomtowns 1:48 Mobilization in Ulan-Ude 5:02 Where the money goes 5:54 The recruitment strategy 8:23 The societal costs WSJ Originals features in-depth reporting, investigations and on-the-ground journalism that uncovers the forces shaping business, politics and the world around us. #Russia #Ukraine #WSJ