Ukrainian authorities will seek ways to curb gambling addiction among troops as concerns mount that the gaming activity saps morale and poses a security risk.
A petition filed by a Ukrainian serviceman pointed to the dangers of troops — often whiling away long hours outside of combat — spending chunks of their monthly wage on online gambling platforms on the mobile phones. Military personnel on the front can earn some 100,000 hryvnia ($2,500) per month, five times the average salary in Ukraine.
The document, filed by a serviceman identifying himself as Pavlo Petrychenko of the 59th brigade, paints a portrait of Ukrainian soldiers spending their earnings on gambling, taking out loans to cover debt — and at times pawning military equipment, such as drones and thermal cameras, to meet payments.