Thu. Oct 31st, 2024
Ukraine tackles gambling addiction within its military ranks

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.

By Xplayer