Where does military salary disappear to: what Stanislav Starostenko said about daily expenses at the front

The issue of financial support in the Ukrainian army has long remained a sore topic, since the current level of salaries is disproportionately correlated with the risk, workload and daily expenses of service. This problem is felt most acutely by those who perform combat missions in conditions of constant danger, but at the same time are forced to spend part of their own money on things without which the unit cannot function normally. Currently, the minimum financial support of the Ukrainian military is from 20 to 25 thousand hryvnias, depending on the rank.

Stanislav Starostenko, a serviceman of the 2nd assault battalion of the 5th separate assault brigade, spoke about the size of salaries and how they correspond to the real costs and conditions of service. According to him, the amount that may seem tangible in civilian life has a completely different appearance in a combat unit. A significant part of this money does not remain at the disposal of the soldier, because it is spent on non-obvious needs, without which it is difficult to survive on the front line: scotch tape, electrical tape, packaging materials, in particular bubble wrap. They are necessary for the safe delivery of water, food and equipment.

Explaining the need for such purchases, Starostenko gave an example of logistics, which often takes place by air. Under such circumstances, water and other liquids must be packaged especially carefully so that they do not break during a fall from a height and reach the trenches in a suitable condition. This detail clearly shows how far removed from reality the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bfront expenses can be: an outside observer thinks about weapons, equipment or ammunition, while in practice the safety of delivering a bottle of water can turn into a separate task, which also requires money, organization and constant attention.

Another important aspect that Starostenko violated concerns the principle of calculating payments. From his words it follows that the military expects a fairer approach to paying for service, in which the financial support would not depend so sharply on the differences between individual types of combat missions. Separately, he drew attention to the difference between payments to Ukrainian military personnel and foreigners, noting that in some cases the latter receive more. Such a comparison is not about emotional insult, but a sense of imbalance, which is especially acutely perceived by people who have families, children and a constant financial burden on their shoulders.

“We want our salary to be fair and the same for all types of combat missions. For example, foreigners have a higher salary than us. This is not very fair. And how comfortable it would be… everyone has a family, everyone has children…”, — the military officer emphasized.

Stanislav Starostenko also spoke about the limits of volunteer assistance, which remains extremely important, but cannot cover every daily need of the unit. According to him, the fighters cover part of the expenses at their own expense, comparing among themselves what is needed here and now.

Additional attention to Starostenko’s words was also attracted by his public recognition. In 2022, he became famous after a viral video in which he emotionally burst onto Israeli television with words in support of Ukraine, holding a roadblock in his hands. Then this fragment quickly spread across the network as a meme, which in the first most difficult months of the great war became for many a symbol of emotional mobilization and a lively, unprepared reaction to what was happening to the country.

Now his name has reappeared in the information space for a different reason – much more down-to-earth and closer to everyday army reality. If the video at the time worked on morale and mood, the current statement brings to the surface a much more complex question: how much does service actually cost a soldier himself, if he is forced to invest part of his state pay back into the front to provide basic things for himself and his comrades.