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.
In a month spent at the front line, Alexander, an ex-convict serving in the Russian army, hadn’t seen a single Ukrainian soldier and had barely fired a shot. The threat of death came from a distance, and seemingly from everywhere. Sent to guard against a potential river crossing in southern Ukraine, his hastily formed unit, made up almost entirely of inmates, endured weeks of relentless bombardment, sniper attacks and ambushes. The marshy, flat terrain offered no cover beyond the burned-out hulk
'We are not human to them': Life for convicts in Russia's army spokesman.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from spokesman.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.