First recruitment of prisoners for sending to the war began in the spring. During this time, the private military company “Wagner” recruited more than 1,000 prisoners from 17 colonies from 10 regions of the Russian Federation for the war.

As the media managed to establish, Wagner recruiters offered prisoners who would go to fight in Ukraine a salary of 200 thousand rubles a month , sick leave and “coffin” payments, as well as a presidential pardon after six months of service.

This is reported by the Russian publication Nestka, citing information from the convicts themselves and their relatives.

According to journalists, a new wave of recruitment began in the summer. Since July 26, dozens of convicts and their relatives began to inform human rights activists about visits of recruiters to a colony of general, strict and special regimes. Information about this was confirmed, in particular, by convicts in these colonies.

What regions of Russia are prisoners recruited from

Groups of recruiters have visited at least in 17 colonies. Among them:

It is noted that most often PIK recruiters were in colonies of strict regime – 14 of 17 such. At the same time, one of them is intended for former employees of the courts and law enforcement agencies. In two cases, recruiters visited general regime colonies, and only in one case – a special regime colony.

Journalists also found that convicts who agreed to fight, but then changed their minds, put pressure on them and send them to punishment cells.

How campaigning happens

Convicts say that recruiters come in small groups and enter the territory of the colony with weapon. In each colony, about 20% of the prisoners are enrolled in the ranks of future mercenaries immediately after such meetings.Then campaigning continues within the detachments – it is usually carried out by other prisoners who cooperate with the administration of the colony. As a result, about 10% more convicts are recruited who agree to join the NPC.

First of all, recruiters are interested in convicted under articles on murder (105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) and robbery (162 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Those who are imprisoned for crimes related to drugs and sexual inviolability are most often not allowed to be selected.

this, a PIK officer comes to the colony again. Those wishing to go to war are asked about their attitude towards the Russian authorities and whether they are going to flee to Ukraine. After that, according to human rights activists, prisoners are taken out of the territory of the colony by 30-36 people. Some of them are undergoing special training. In six months, such a “business trip” to prisoners is promised release from the colony under an amnesty.

Recall that earlier the media published data on how many Russian soldiers refused to fight in Ukraine.

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