Two captured Russian mercenaries have told the Mirror how they signed up for the Ukraine frontline after being told they were at war with the West - including the UK.
Both hardened Wagner Group fighters - a convicted killer and a thug jailed for brawling - were recruited whilst behind bars by one of Russian President Putin’s top aides.
They signed up after Yevgeny Prigozhin - dubbed “Putin’s chef” - flew to their jails by helicopter and promised them “a clean sheet” and 200,000 rubles a month.
