According to British intelligence, the Russian Defense Ministry is now recruiting prisoners for the offensive war against Ukraine itself. The British Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that up to 10,000 prisoners are likely to join the army in April 2023 alone. The initiative has been running since the beginning of this year.
The campaign is part of an effort to increase the number of soldiers while avoiding a new mobilization, which would be very unpopular with the Russian public, sources in London said. The Ukrainian secret service, among others, had previously reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense was recruiting prisoners.
Group Wagner is no longer allowed to recruit in prisons
According to military experts, the prisoners, who have been promised a pardon in exchange for their commitment, will be used as “cannon fodder” to spare regular units. Previously, the mercenary group Wagner had been recruiting new fighters in Russian prisons since the summer of 2022. However, in the course of a dispute with the Defense Department, Wagner lost access.
The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian offensive war against Ukraine, citing intelligence information. With this, the British government wants to both counter the Russian image and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.
Source: Krone
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