More than 20,000 convicts have been drafted out of Russian prisons, says Russia Behind Bars foundation

The number of convicts conscripted for the war in Ukraine out of Russian prisons has exceeded 20,000. The Russian news outlet Agentstvo (“Agency”) reported this figure, citing Olga Romanova, the head of Russia Behind Bars (RBB), a non-profit advocate for the incarcerated.

Sending prisoners to war

The Wagner Group’s ‘best practices’ go mainstream Following Prigozhin’s example, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has begun recruiting soldiers among Russia’s inmates

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Sending prisoners to war

The Wagner Group’s ‘best practices’ go mainstream Following Prigozhin’s example, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has begun recruiting soldiers among Russia’s inmates

2 years ago

A week ago, this estimate was closer to 15,000. Romanova chalks up the abrupt increase to the fact that military recruitment has begun in Siberian penal colonies, and also among the citizens of CIS member countries.

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