Russia's prisoner army: Crime surge looms post-war, warns general
Russia has released criminals to enlist them into the army and send them to the front lines. Russian General Anatoliy Kulikov openly discusses what this could mean for the country after the end of the war in Ukraine.
Much of the information provided by Russian media or authorities is propaganda. These reports are part of the information war conducted by the Russian Federation.
In the first year of the invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin signed a decree permitting the mobilization of criminals. In 2023, changes were introduced to the law on mandatory military service, allowing contracts to be signed with convicted citizens under mobilization conditions. Exceptions include those convicted of sexual violence against children, terrorism, or the disclosure of state secrets.
Recently, the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs began preparing lists of convicts suitable for signing military service contracts and sending them to the front as part of compulsory mobilization.
Russian general warns
According to former Minister of Internal Affairs Gen. Anatoliy Kulikov, the end of the war could lead to an increase in crime in the Russian Federation. He suggests a scenario similar to the period after the Great Patriotic War (World War II) may occur when "entire gangs and bands" operated in the country. As such, he emphasizes that "action must be taken now" to prevent this.
In 2024, Russia witnessed the highest increase in serious crime since 2010. According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, 617,301 incidents were recorded, 56,906 of which occurred in Moscow alone. Additionally, violence-related crimes are increasingly occurring in regions neighboring Ukraine.
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