ALBAWABA - The British Ministry of Defence reported that 10,000 prisoners may have joined the Russian military to support its efforts against Ukraine.
The Russian Military maximized its efforts to recruit convicts from the beginning of 2023, the UK’s Ministry of Defence reported. It is likely that the number of recruits ramped up to 10,000 in April alone.
The U.K.'s Ministry of Defence tweeted earlier in their intelligence update, that this campaign is part of Russian efforts to reinforce the number of military draftees, without having to turn to implement mandatory mobilization.
In September 2022, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s first mobilization since world war two. This mobilization forced all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 60 to be called as reservists to serve in the Russian army.
Earlier this week, Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin posted on Telegram and threatened to withdraw from the city of Bakhmut. Walking among a number of bodies of what he claimed to be his fighters. "We don’t have the necessary ammunition, and no one has communicated with us about getting back to full capacity," Prigozhin said.
"They came here as volunteers and are dying so you can sit like fat cats in your luxury offices," he said.
Marking a year since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the casualties count exceeded 354,000, according to Reuters.
