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According to the statement published on the Duma\u2019s website, “The validity of the document does not extend to those who have previously been convicted of terrorist and extremist acts, as well as offences against the sexual sanctity of minors.”<\/p>\n
If the legislation ultimately becomes law, those who join the Russian army through this program will have their criminal records expunged upon completion of their military service, receipt of a state award for their service, being wounded in action, or reaching the retirement age of 65, as per the Moscow Times.<\/p>\n
This controversial move marks a significant shift for Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Previously, private military contractor Wagner relied heavily on recruiting prisoners from Russia’s penal system.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n However, the company’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced in February that Wagner had discontinued this practice. In a statement on his company\u2019s Telegram channel at the time, Prigozhin explained, “We have completely discontinued the recruitment of prisoners into Wagner PMC. To those who work for us currently, all obligations are being fulfilled.”<\/p>\n The decision by Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash two weeks ago, raised questions about the reasons behind this shift in recruitment strategy. Possible explanations include a dwindling pool of potential recruits, intervention by the Ministry of Defence, financial constraints, or a shift in Russia’s strategic priorities on the battlefield.<\/p>\n Having enlisted between 40,000 and 50,000 prisoners from various jails across Russia, it was hypothesised that the supply of volunteers from the prison system had substantially diminished, rendering the campaign no longer effective.<\/p>\n
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