Storm V fighters at a christening ceremony in December 2023/Image - BBC

Moscow - For over a year now, Russia has been freeing prisoners to join the fight in Ukraine. Initially, they were promised a pardon and freedom after six months, even if they had a history of violent crimes. However, a recent discovery by the BBC reveals that this lenient deal is now a thing of the past.

Prisoners are no longer granted a pardon, face tougher conditions, and are obligated to remain on the front lines until the end of the war.

A man named Sergei, part of a new army unit named "Storm V," shares his experience in a chatroom for former Russian prisoners fighting in Ukraine. He highlights the shift in conditions, stating that previously, one could "wing it" for six months, but now they must commit to staying until the war concludes.

The mass recruitment of Russian prisoners began in the summer of 2022, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the former head of the Wagner private military group. Initially, prisoners were enticed with a clean record, full pardon, and the option to return home after six months on the battlefield. After Prigozhin's death, the Russian military took over the initiative in February 2023, initially offering similar incentives.

However, dissatisfaction arose among mobilized soldiers and their families, leading to the imposition of stricter conditions for prisoners. The new army unit, Storm V, now serves along the front lines in various regions of Ukraine, and the contracts for prisoners have been extended to a year instead of six months.

Relatives of prisoners serving in Storm V units reveal that the soldiers are warned about the extended commitment, as contracts are automatically renewed upon expiration. The only avenues for a full release are through state decoration, incapacitation, reaching the maximum age limit, or the conclusion of the war.

Former prisoners no longer receive a pardon but are granted a conditional release at the end of their army service. If they commit new crimes, their sentences will reflect their prior convictions. Additionally, President Putin is no longer personally involved in signing pardons, reducing media attention on pardoning individuals convicted of serious crimes.

The conditions for Storm V fighters are described as somewhat better, with full pay and military benefits. However, the survival rate is grim, with one convict revealing that only 38 out of a platoon of about 100 men are still alive after five months.

Many Storm V troops undergo minimal training, with several cases of convicts deployed to the front lines after just 10 days of training. The death toll among prisoners serving in Ukraine is estimated to be much higher than reported, and the difficulty in tracking the exact number adds to the distress of many relatives still searching for their lost loved ones.

Captured Storm V fighters often end up as prisoners of war, facing interrogation by the Ukrainian military. Some prisoners claim they were forced into "pointless assaults," and refusal to comply resulted in harsh punishments, such as being confined in a pit without food. The harrowing accounts of those still fighting in Storm V units paint a grim picture of their chances of survival on the front lines.
-based on a BBC article