Russian military efforts to recruit women from prisons and civilian life have clashed with President Vladimir V. Putin’s conservative agenda.
Author: Anatoly Kurmanaev and Ekaterina Bodyagina
A Convict’s Life in Russia’s Army: ‘We Are Not Human to Them’
In an account provided to The Times, a Russian soldier describes his commanders’ casual disregard for the lives of inmates like him, and how they are pressured to re-enlist.
Putin Used Secret Decree to Pardon Ex-Inmate Who Joined Ukraine War Effort, Document Shows
A copy of a prison release certificate reviewed by The New York Times offers evidence of what activists say is a mass pardon campaign to entice tens of thousands of inmates to enter battle.