Putin Signs Law Offering Military Amnesty, Potentially Deploying 20,000 Criminal Defendants to Ukraine

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has signed a law that grants amnesty to defendants who are serving in the military, thereby exempting them from criminal liability. This move follows reports suggesting that Russia might deploy around 20,000 defendants currently held in detention centers to the war in Ukraine.

According to reports from RIA Novosti, the new legislation amends the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes of the Russian Federation. Specifically, it mandates the release from criminal responsibility of defendants who are either serving in the military during mobilization or have signed a military service contract.

The law also extends similar legal mechanisms to convicted individuals whose sentences have been issued but not yet legally enforced, including those in the appellate phase of criminal proceedings.

This decision to potentially deploy defendants to the frontlines indicates a dwindling supply of willing recruits from other sources. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been recruiting prisoners to bolster its military ranks. Following the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian National Guard has taken over recruitment efforts, including the enlistment of former Wagner Group fighters.

Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defense has started to recruit women from prisons as shock troops and snipers. Recently, the State Duma allowed individuals convicted of serious crimes, including sexual assault, to sign contracts to fight in Ukraine.