After recruiting prisoners for Russian mercenary troops, the regular Russian army is now also recruiting soldiers for the war in Ukraine in prison, according to civil rights activists and the media. “Since the end of September, the Ministry of Defense has started to recruit convicts,” internet portal Vashnye Istorii said on Tuesday.
Kremlin critics reported military visits to penal colonies in the Ryazan region, near Moscow, and in Stavropol, in the North Caucasus. Civil rights activists Gulagu.net had previously reported on poaching attempts in the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Special unit called “Storm”
The mercenary group “Wagner”, financed by Putin’s confidant Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been recruiting prisoners for use in Ukraine since the summer. A video shared on social media likely shows Prigozhin himself appearing in front of the prisoners and promising their release if they commit to serving as mercenaries in Ukraine for six months.
According to Vashnye Istorii, generals in the regular army also promise prisoners that they will be released after the operation. These are to be used in a special unit called “Storm”. The Ministry of Defense is therefore recruiting specifically from among prisoners who have already served in security agencies and may have combat experience.