Russia Deploys Former Female Convicts in Assaults on Ukraine’s Eastern Front

Russian forces are deploying women with prior criminal convictions in their assaults on Ukraine's eastern front.

This was stated by Nazar Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Operational Strategic Group Khortytsia, during the national telethon, Ukrinform reports.

"The enemy is pulling reserves from other directions, and the Russian military command has been forced to deploy a significant portion of its strategic reserves accumulated throughout this year to capture territories in the Kurakhove, Vremivka, and Pokrovsk directions,” Voloshyn said.

“Recently, we have also received information that women are being involved in assault operations within the Russian army. These women are former convicts from the 'Storm' units, which are specifically formed from individuals with criminal backgrounds," he stated.

The spokesperson added that newly mobilized soldiers and former prisoners have been observed among Russian forces.

According to Voloshyn, Russian prisons are nearly empty due to the large-scale mobilization of convicts for the war in Ukraine, adding that some captured soldiers reported less than a month had passed between their sentencing in Russia and their capture in Ukraine.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin recently announced that the 400,000-ruble ($3,800) enlistment bonus, previously available only to new military recruits, will now also be extended to National Guard personnel joining service in Ukraine.