Recent reports from BBC Russian and other media outlets, including IStories and Russian BBC, have highlighted significant changes in Russia's recruitment of prisoners for the war in Ukraine, originally initiated by Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner PMC. Initially, prisoners were personally pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin and could return home after serving a six-month term. Now, prisoners are given conditional release and are expected to serve until the end of the so-called 'SMO' (Special Military Operation), with no pardons from Putin. This policy shift is part of a broader forced mobilization campaign in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, which has depleted the workforce and municipal services, leading to increased resistance among Ukrainians under occupation. The refined recruitment practices aim to protect Putin's reputation and maintain regular troop morale.
⚡️ Media: Russian convict recruits no longer receive pardons for fighting in Ukraine. Russian fighters drawn from prisons no longer receive pardons nor full promised payments for fighting in Ukraine, IStories reported on Jan. 25. https://t.co/lDaLibfkIn
Russian prisoners who left to fight in Ukraine no longer receive a pardon from Putin and serve until the end of the so-called "SMO" — Russian BBC. Recruitment of prisoners from Russian colonies in the summer of 2022 was started by the founder of the Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin.… https://t.co/qtMdmnSWgb https://t.co/z0N9fxlA5d
The Russian military has refined its recruitment of prisoners, distancing Vladimir Putin from the process and preventing inmate soldiers from returning to civilian life before the war’s end, reports @bbcrussian. https://t.co/aVhqTJ0nwT
Great investigation by @bbcrussian’s @lizafokht & co. The Kremlin has refined its prisoner recruitment in ways that demonstrate great sensitivity to Putin’s reputation and regular troop morale. No more presidential pardons and no more short-term service. https://t.co/iPeSMWx0bp
Russia’s forced mobilization campaign in the Ukrainian territories it occupies has severely depleted the workforce, hollowing out municipal services. The dire conditions are pushing more Ukrainians under occupation to turn against Russian forces. https://t.co/lvTCQQrhYU
When Russia first recruited prisoners to fight in Ukraine, Putin pardoned them personally and they could go home after 6 months. Now there's no pardon – and they must stay at the front until the war's over. great story by @lizafokht @barabanch @oivshina https://t.co/njpPyWLIEP
Putin no longer signs pardons for prisoners who are sent to war from Russian prisons - BBC They are now released "conditionally" and are not allowed to leave the army after 6 months, but are sent to the front until the end of hostilities. https://t.co/BcMzRQOfZk
BBC Russian finds out that pardoning and six-month limit on the frontline is no longer the deal for Russian prison inmates. These days, they get conditional release and are expected to serve till the end of the war. https://t.co/PYLrIGGy46
Sadly, those Ukrainian soldiers will never return home. No matter when, where, and by whom they were killed. https://t.co/tYZAzIHdTV