Speaking at a meeting with leaders of Russian parliamentary factions, Putin commented on a proposal to fast-track war veterans into civil service.
“More than 700,000 people are on the line of contact [in Ukraine],” he said. He added that not all those soldiers “see themselves as civil servants” and suggested selecting for government work only those “who want to and are inclined toward that kind of activity.”
Putin also addressed the state of Russia’s economy, which, according to Western media reports, is strained by excessive military spending. He called a proposal to introduce a luxury tax “a reasonable idea” but warned against overdoing it. The dictator assured that Russia’s subsidized mortgage program would continue and instructed them to “aim to curb inflation and bring all bank rates, including mortgage rates, into order.”
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, as of Sept. 18 Russian personnel losses in the Russo–Ukrainian war stood at approximately 1,098,380.
On Aug. 5, UK Defense Intelligence estimated that Russia likely lost 260,000 troops in 2025.