Russian Prisoners With HIV, Hepatitis Being Recruited By Putin’s ‘Private Army’ For Ukraine War

New Delhi: The Wagner group, a private military company often referred to as President Vladimir Putin’s private army, is recruiting Russian prisoners suffering from infectious diseases including HIV and Hepatitis C for the Ukraine war, News18 reported quoting UK intelligence officials.

More than 100 prisoners have been deployed with coloured bracelets marking their illnesses. In earlier conflicts, the Wagner group had maintained “relatively high recruitment standards” as many of its operators have previously served as professional soldiers, according to the British defence ministry, the report added.

But the new admission of prisoners with illness reflects “an approach which now priorities numbers over experience or quality”, the ministry added. “There’s a severe shortage of human beings, a severe shortage of troops,” CNN anchor Erin Burnett reportedly said.

For years, the Wagner group has been suspected of playing a role in realising Moscow’s overseas ambitions, with the Kremlin denying any links. The Wagner Group went to the region in 2014 to help pro-Russian separatists oust Ukrainian forces.

The United Nations and the French government have accused Wagner mercenaries of crimes including rapes and robberies against civilians in the Central African Republic, a report in BBC said.

Russia said Ukraine attacked its Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol with 16 drones on Saturday asking the UN Security Council to meet on Monday to discuss the attack, Reuters reported.