Russia faces an 'exodus' of troops as prisoners recruited to fight in Ukraine start to be pardoned and return home, says UK intel

Tue, 03/21/2023 - 12:53

Cadets of a military academy fire a salute during the funeral of Dmitry Menshikov, a mercenary for the private Russian military company Wagner Group, who was killed in Ukraine, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 24, 2022. — Cadets fire a salute during the funeral of Dmitry Menshikov, a mercenary for the Wagner Group, who was killed in Ukraine, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on December 24, 2022.
REUTERS/Igor Russak

Russia's Wagner mercenary army fighting in Ukraine is about to see an "exodus" of personnel.
It's due to release thousands of troops recruited from prisons in exchange for pardons, UK intel said.
It will likely face personnel issues as a result, since it's no longer allowed to recruit prisoners.

Russia is about to face potentially major personnel problems in Ukraine, as thousands of convicts who were recruited to fight in the war are set to be pardoned and sent home, according to UK intelligence.