Russian convicts recruited to fight in Ukraine were warned they'd be shot if they deserted.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

One who did was returned to Russia — and was killed with a sledgehammer instead.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its soldiers have complained about being unorganized, under-armed, and under-trained, with many expressing reluctance about entering into battles for which commanders did not prepare them.

A New York Times investigation published Saturday recounting Russia's numerous blunders during the war revealed additional details about two specific types of soldiers: convicted criminals and mercenaries. Wagner, a notorious mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, recruited many of those men.

Prigozhin, a Russian businessman and restaurateur, is also known as "Putin's chef," as his catering company has received government contracts worth several billion dollars. After years of denials, in September he identified himself as the founder of Wagner, which was formed in 2014.

Wagner is not under the control of the Russian military as mercenaries are technically illegal in Russia, but the group has come to be seen as the Kremlin's private army. They've been on the front lines in Ukraine fighting on behalf of Putin and Russia. To build up his forces, Prigozhin went to prisons and penal colonies to recruit more soldiers after Russian troops suffered major losses.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-convicts-recruited-to-fight-in-ukraine-were-warned-they-d-be-shot-if-they-deserted-one-who-did-was-returned-to-russia-and-was-killed-with-a-sledgehammer-instead/ar-AA15pf0w

[Chainfire]

1. A criminal army fighting for a criminal leader of a criminal nation in an illegal war.

It increases morale and discipline to threaten to kill anyone who shies away from the fighting. They learned that trick from Stalin's order number 227.

Personally, as far as I am concerned, the more Russians that the Russian backing forces kill, the fewer the Ukrainians will have to. What I do suspect is that the policy makes the Russian troops look for any good opportunity to surrender. I hope the Ukrainians are smart enough to encourage them to surrender, and then to treat them well; the word gets around.

[doc03]

2. What a choice live on bread and water in Siberia or get

killed by either side in Ukraine.