Thousands of Russian convicts are being press-ganged to fight in Ukraine with threats of longer sentences, crippling beatings or even worse if they refuse.
Russia ’s prison colony population fell 23,000 in just two months as Moscow desperately tries to fill huge gaps in its regular assault troops on the front line.
Lags were previously offered freedom deals if they joined the invasion, but the notorious Wagner Group of mercenaries, founded by ex-special forces colonel Dmitry Utkin, has switched to more brutal recruitment tactics.
