A significant number of Russian military “veterans” returning from combat during the illegal invasion of Ukraine have committed violent crimes against Russian civilians.
This was reported on X by the UK Ministry of Defence, citing intelligence data.
According to the independent Russian media outlet Verstka, intelligence estimates that approximately 550 civilians in Russia were killed by returning “veterans,” and another 465 were injured or wounded by former servicemen.
“More than half of the deaths reportedly involved some of the 180,000 convicts recruited into the Russian armed forces for the conflict,” the intelligence report noted.
It is reported that the Wagner paramilitary group first recruited prisoners to participate in the conflict in 2022, expanding its ranks by nearly 50,000 inmates who were offered reduced sentences after six months of service.
“Subsequently, the Russian Ministry of Defence recruited convicts directly from prisons, and President Vladimir Putin signed a law in October 2024 allowing criminal defendants to avoid trial and potential sentencing in exchange for military service,” analysts noted, highlighting the state’s direct involvement in releasing prisoners.
The Ministry describes this as “a challenge for Russian society,” as tens of thousands of offenders who have recently “experienced traumatic combat” return to civilian life.
Their reintegration—especially after having “experienced brutality from Russian armed forces”—represents a significant challenge that the British intelligence believes is likely to grow in the medium term.
