Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed a presidential decree to almost double a one-time payment for soldiers to fight in Ukraine.

Russian authorities are keen to secure military personnel as the fighting in Ukraine drags on. They are recruiting contract soldiers on a large scale by offering significant sign-up bonuses to avoid an unpopular nationwide mobilization.

The decree established a one-time payment of 400,000 rubles, or about 4,600 dollars, almost double the amount that was previously paid.

The latest payment is nearly fivefold the average monthly salary of Russians in April, released by the Federal State Statistics Service.
Russians and foreigners who join the military from August 1 to December 31 will be eligible.

The decree requires regional governments to finance the payment. Putin says it is recommended that regional governments match the payment from their budgets with at least 400,000 rubles.

Last month, the mayor of Moscow announced a one-time payment of 1.9 million rubles, or about 22,000 dollars, for residents of the city who sign up to serve for more than one year.