Russia's military is copying the Wagner playbook of recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine, with up to 10,000 signing up in April alone, UK intel says

• Russia's military is recruiting fighters for Ukraine directly from prisons, UK intelligence said.
• The method was previously used by the pro-Kremlin Wagner Group, but it lost access earlier this year.
• According to the UK MOD, Russia's army recruited 10,000 prisoners in April alone.

Russia's military is copying the method used by the pro-Kremlin Wagner mercenary group by recruiting convicts directly from prisons to fight in Ukraine, according to UK intelligence.

The UK Ministry of Defence said in an update on Thursday that since the start of the year, Russia's defense ministry has "ramped up a scheme to recruit Russian prisoners to fight in Ukraine."