In a move mirroring President Biden's approach to student loans, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed legislation offering debt forgiveness to new military recruits. This new law, enacted in November, allows individuals joining the Russian military after December 1, 2024, to have debts up to 10 million rubles (approximately $96,000) erased. This applies to debts with court-ordered collection proceedings initiated before December 1, 2024, and extends to the spouses of recruits. While Biden's loan forgiveness program is not directly tied to military service, the parallel in using financial incentives is notable.

This debt relief measure coincides with the Biden administration's recent announcement of $4.28 billion in student loan forgiveness, benefiting 54,900 public workers. This brings the total loan forgiveness under the Biden administration to nearly $180 billion for almost 5 million borrowers. The administration emphasizes this program as an incentive for public service professionals.

For Russia, this debt forgiveness initiative serves as another strategy to bolster its military forces as the conflict in Ukraine continues. Reports indicate that North Korea has sent around 10,000 troops to support Russia's campaign, and Russia has also reportedly recruited hundreds of Yemeni men with promises of high-paying jobs and Russian citizenship, only to coerce them into military service upon arrival. These Yemeni recruits were reportedly brought to Russia through a clandestine operation coordinated with the Houthi network.

Many of these recruits have reportedly been forced to sign military contracts under duress and subsequently deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.