1/ The Russian government is reportedly planning to sentence convicts to fight in Ukraine as a form of punishment – which for many will be a de facto death sentence. The initiative is said to have been prompted by declining numbers of convicts volunteering to fight. ⬇️
2/ Tens of thousands, and possibly as many as 200,000 Russian prisoners have been mobilised to fight in Ukraine since the summer of 2022, first for Wagner and later for Storm Z assault units. Frequently used as expendable storm troops, they have sustained very high casualties. 3/ Prisoner recruitment has been formally written into Russian law, with the narrative built around redemption. State propaganda portrays convicts as people who have found purpose and a second chance through military service, rather than people escaping harsh prison conditions. 4/ In reality, recruitment has often not been particularly voluntary. While Wagner's Yevgeny Prigozhin – a former convict himself – stressed the need for his fighters to be volunteers, when the Russian MOD took over prisoner recruitment, beatings and torture became frequent methods of 'persuasion'. 5/ Even so, prisoner recruitment has remained at least nominally voluntary until now. However, reports from convicts' relatives and some high-profile prisoners, such as Igor Girkin, indicate that the number of volunteers has declined considerably. 6/ 'Intelligence Diary' reports that the Russian authorities are considering a radical reform of the system, "to gradually move away from a model where a contract is primarily seen as an opportunity to avoid criminal liability or to clear a criminal record." 7/ "In the new version, service in a combat zone itself will become a separate form of punishment that a court can impose instead of imprisonment for certain categories of crimes. 8/ "The main difference is that the convicted person will no longer be able to choose between a prison colony and serving in the Special Military Operation. 9/ "The decision will be made by the court, taking into account the person's age, health, military specialism, and the severity of the crime. It will not be possible to refuse the assigned service or to replace it with a regular prison sentence. 10/ "The source claims that the reason for this is quite pragmatic: the previous system, with its promise of avoiding responsibility, is gradually ceasing to be an effective 'enticement,' while the army's need for personnel remains. 11/ "At the same time, it is also proposed to abandon the automatic removal of a criminal record after service. The person will be considered to have served the punishment assigned by the state, and any further clearing of the criminal record will take place on a general basis. 12/ "'Previously, the state offered a choice: atone for your guilt through service and receive freedom. The new logic is different – if this is truly considered atonement, why should it necessarily be voluntary?' the source claims." /end Source: t.me