Murderers and other hardened criminals among those recruited by Russian mercenary group in exchange for freedom
, have been killed or severely wounded in Ukraine, where the mercenaries have been tasked with some of Russia’s most desperate campaigns.
“We don’t want such people back in Pikalevo,” said the person, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution. “What kind of hero is he?”Salmin was recruited into Wagner while serving a sentence for theft. But in 2011 he was convicted of murder. In the court’s description of the killing, Salmin and a friend got drunk while fishing at a local quarry and began to argue. Then Salmin grabbed a rock and hit his friend on the head twice.
Under the Russian constitution, only the president can issue pardons and critics point to the fact the Kremlin has not published such decrees since 2020. In Thursday’s statement, Prigozhin maintained Wagner would “fulfil its obligations to those working for us”, which was likely in reference to his promise of a full pardon to those who joined the ranks of military company from prison.
The men being released come from a constellation of towns and small cities across north-west Russia, Prigozhin’s home region where he may have found some of the first volunteers during his mobilisation drive. Ultimately, Wagner is believed to have recruited tens of thousands of prisoners willing to kill for their freedom.
In a separate episode earlier this year, Prigozhin, speaking in front of a group of former convicts who had served out their contracts in Ukraine, promised to help them out if they got in trouble with the law enforcement.
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