For one more shot at freedom: Convicts who joined Wagner Group ranks in Ukraine war used as ‘cannon fodder’

Kremlin: Against the backdrop of reports about Russian President Vladimir Putin withdrawing Wagner Group troops from the Ukraine war, horrors perpetrated on a lot of these mercenaries—called ‘Musicians’—themselves have emerged once again. The mercenary army, estimated to number 50,000, is made up of ex-soldiers from the former USSR as well as Russian prisoners who have been offered a second shot at freedom in exchange for fighting. According to numerous reports this week, Putin is worried that the Wagner Group could undermine his authority. It has been reported that Prigozhin has suspended the hiring process and would withdraw his forces within weeks, replacing them with up to 300,000 regular Russian military personnel. However, this will only allow more stories of the Wagner recruits to emerge. The Security Services of Ukraine (SSU) published a video of Vladimir Valerievich, a purported prisoner believed to be fighting for the Wagner Group, in late 2022. He claimed to be imprisoned for murder under Article 105 and that Prigozhin had visited the prison where he was residing one day and offered to assist the inmates “wipe off our sins with blood” if they fought in Ukraine. He claimed to have heard, “Those who make it out alive receive freedom, cash, and clear records. It’s done.” The journalist then inquired as to the veracity of Wagner’s claim that he was enlisting inmates to serve as “cannon fodder.” “This is true,” Vladimir retorted. The three of us were marching ahead of me by 30 to 40 metres, together with the prisoners who followed me. Our leader, the one who announced, “I’ll be in charge,” as I proceeded, was with us. Then, as he continued to walk, he became further away. I whirled, and the others were very far away. Evidently, they needed cannon fodder to know who was in certain places and where they were standing. “I’m done now. Like cannon fodder, we are”. He continued by saying that when the convicts were recruited, they were “told a different story” and that they wouldn’t be deployed to the front lines “straight away.”

Similar allegations have been made by other sources. According to a former Wagner soldier quoted on the website Russian Criminal, “Sometimes there is an order not to wait for the bombardment to cease - the ‘Musicians’ are so disciplined that they will go anyhow because they stand a fighting chance of survival.” The frontline is pushed closer to the Ukrainians by squadrons of prisoner conscripts, according to what they claimed, as both sides’ overhead firing continues. Putin worries that Prigozhin may become too powerful, which is why the Wagner forces are being withdrawn. According to the report, the Russian President believes Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, and Wagner’s boss retain too much control over the troubled province and could be involved in a plot against his government. Ukraine is nothing new to Wagner. The organisation gained notoriety during the Donbas War in Ukraine, where it aided pro-Russian separatist fighters in establishing the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, which they proclaimed in 2014 and 2015. Since then, some of the most gruesome and murderous battles in the world, including those in Mali, Syria, Libya, and the Central African Republic, are thought to have been fought by its contractors. Reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity, such as rapes and robbery of civilians, have been widely reported in areas where Wagner Group troops have been stationed. In January, a former Wagner leader who had deserted the organisation and claimed to have seen war crimes in Ukraine sought asylum in Norway. Three Wagner Group mercenaries have been charged by Ukrainian prosecutors with torturing and killing citizens in April 2022 close to Kyiv. According to German intelligence, the atrocities that took place in Bucha in March 2022 were committed by members of the Wagner group. Approximately 80% of the US National Security Council’s forces in Ukraine are made up of inmates from Russian jails. According to Prigozhin, the gang has subsequently “stopped” seeking out detainees for recruitment. He said that all “obligations” to the concerned convicts had been met, making reference to the pardons given to the prisoners who engaged in combat. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.