Wagner Group’s Use of Convicts in Ukraine Echoes Stalinist Tactics
The White House has confirmed that the Russian mercenary Wagner Group mistreats convicts on the front lines in Ukraine, with 90% of their casualties being convicts. Evgeny Prigozhin, an oligarch and confidant of President Vladimir Putin, has recruited tens of thousands of prisoners for the war effort, offering them a full pardon and release at the end of their contract. However, due to abuse by Wagner commanders and heavy personnel losses, the inflow of prisoners has weakened. Putin has signed into law a bill allowing the mobilization of individuals with outstanding or un-expunged convictions for crimes, creating an even greater pool of potential war recruits.
