Retirement is typically associated with old age, and while today’s youth dream of retiring young to focus on living their best lives, that usually means retiring by age 40 or so. One Russian youth managed to do something that most people can only dream of — retire with a full pension in his early 20s. At age 16, Pavel Stepchenko joined the school of Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs as a student, and by the age of 23 had already retired, becoming the country’s youngest retiree. Pavel took advantage of a special provision stating that for each month of service during a period of martial law, a person could receive three months of credited length of service. On Nov. 28, 2023, he applied for retirement and was awarded a full pension. To many, Pavel’s early retirement is nothing more than an oddity, but according to the Russian media, it’s a testament to the flexibility and capabilities of the social protection system.
