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During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia has recruited substantial numbers of prisoners into military units.[1][2]
The Russian paramilitary Wagner Group widely recruited from prisons starting in 2022, growing their forces by an estimated 40,000.[2][3] According to the New York Times, Wagner's prison recruitment campaign began in early July 2022, when Prigozhin personally appeared in prisons around St. Petersburg and offered deals to the prisoners.[4] However, the Wagner Group lost access to the prisons in February 2023 amidst schisms with the regular Russian Ministry of Defense.[2][3] The Russian MoD itself reportedly began recruiting prisoners in October 2022.[3]
In April 2023, information emerged about the creation of the Storm-Z series of units by the MoD.[5] After receiving only ten to fifteen days of training,[6] these units are attached to regular Russian forces suffering from battle fatigue.[7]
- ^ "Russian Federation: UN experts alarmed by recruitment of prisoners by "Wagner Group"". Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Baker, Sinéad (11 May 2023). "Russia's military is copying the Wagner playbook of recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine, with up to 10,000 signing up in April alone, UK intel says". Retrieved 24 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Stepanenko, Kateryna; Kagan, Frederick W. (12 March 2023). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 12, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Anatolywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lewis, Kaitlin (7 April 2023). "Ukrainian reserve officer says Russia is forming special "Storm Z" units". Newsweek.
- ^ "Russian commanders constructing company-size units for urban combat - ISW Russian commanders constructing company-size units for urban combat". Ukrinform. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Hird, Karolina; Bailey, Riley; Howard, Angela; Mappes, Grace; Philipson, Layne; Clark, Mason (6 April 2023). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 6, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
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