Russia’s lower house of parliament said on Wednesday it had voted in favor of a law that would allow the Defense Ministry to sign contracts with suspected or convicted criminals to fight in Ukraine, Reuters reported.
More than 15 months into what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Moscow, whose forces have suffered heavy casualties, is scrambling to recruit more soldiers for Europe’s biggest ground war since World War II.
According to the proposed changes, the Ministry of Defense can conclude a contract with a person who is under investigation for committing a crime, is subject to being brought to court or after a sentence has been handed down, but before the sentence enters into force, the State Duma reports.
What criminals would not be allowed to contract with the Russian army
However, the law would exclude people convicted of certain crimes.
Individuals convicted of sex crimes, treason, terrorism or extremism may not apply.
Those who sign up will be released from criminal liability after completing their contract or if they receive awards for their combat prowess.
Previously, the Wagner mercenary group was allowed to recruit convicts from prisons to fight in Ukraine, but the group’s founder said in February that the prison recruitment operation had been completely stopped. Human rights defenders of detainees say that the Ministry of Defense took over the process, but wanted to make some changes.
Reuters reported in December that the US intelligence community believed Wagner had deployed 40,000 convicted militants to Ukraine, the vast majority of the group’s personnel in the country.
The new amendments, which are being considered by the Duma, do not concern the conscription of persons already serving a sentence, and the Ministry of Defense does not comment.
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Source: Hot News
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