**Russia Recruits Prisoners for War**
According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia has recruited up to 180,000 prisoners to fight in the war against Ukraine. This is as of November 2024.
**Recruitment Program Started in Summer 2022**
Russia started recruiting convicts for its war in summer 2022 under the auspices of the Wagner mercenary company and later directly through the Russian Defense Ministry. The number of prisoners recruited has been increasing since then.
**Prison Population Has Been Declining**
The total number of prisoners in Russian prisons was around 300,000-350,000 in 2024. This is half as many as there were in 2014. Ukraine’s intelligence agency attributes the decline to the ongoing war against Ukraine.
**Prisoners and Their Families Face Hardship**
According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, prisoners and their families are facing hardship due to the Russian government‘s abolition of a one-time payment of $3,524 for signing up with the Defense Ministry. This move is seen as evidence of Russia’s deepening economic crisis.
**Concerns Over Prisoner Reintegration**
There have been reports of former convicts returning to society and committing new crimes. The salaries of prisoners are also much lower than those of other Russian soldiers.