Where can I get new soldiers? And that as soon as possible? Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) has had to ask himself that question for months in view of the war in Ukraine. As it has now become known, the head of the Kremlin pardoned Russian prisoners for this – apparently secretly and as a precaution. They would serve in the infamous Wagner group, the ruthless mercenaries of Yevgeny Prigozhin (61).
This is reported by the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). On Monday, Russian human rights activist Eva Merkatschewa (44) also confirmed to state broadcaster RIA that prisoners recruited by the Wagner group are pardoned before they leave prisons.
However, according to Russia’s penal code, only Putin himself can pardon – not Wagner boss Prigozhin, known to many as “Putin’s cook”. He would also have been doing this for a long time. According to the ISW, Putin’s pardons are strictly confidential.
The prisoners must be animated
The fact that Putin is now pardoning convicts suggests that he wants to further promote the Wagner group and legitimize their recruitment practices. In general, according to the ISW, Russian prisoners should be encouraged through Putin’s intervention to sign a mercenary contract and go to war with impunity.
Wagner’s untrained criminal squads are often sent to the front lines to serve as cannon fodder. The Wagner Group is widely known for its unconventional and barbaric recruitment and deployment of soldiers. (two)