Russia Freed Jailed Criminals to Fight Ukraine War. Now They are Returning After Amnesty Raising Fear for Locals

Many former Russian convicts, who fought alongside soldiers in Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, are now heading back to their homes after completing six months in battle.

The move has instilled fear among the local Russians as the former convicts, including murderers, drug dealers and domestic abusers, are now freed and will be living in the neighbourhood, a report in The Guardian said.

Hundreds of convicts were recruited into the Wagner group, a private military company tied to the businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, promising amnesty on their return to Russia if they survived.

Many were killed or severely wounded in Ukraine, but several dozens of the former convicts survived the war and headed back to their homes to enjoy their prized freedom.

Anatoly Salmin, a convicted thief and murderer, is home years ahead of his scheduled release from prison, as he was rewarded for volunteering for a suicide mission which he managed to survive.

Locals said they are afraid of Salmin as he used to terrorise people in his home town and they fear that he may have been made untouchable by his association with Prigozhin, one of Russia’s most notorious figures.

“We started seeing him in town a few weeks ago. He is a dangerous man, we all know what he did to his friend. I told my kids not to run around alone in the coming days,” a local resident reportedly said.

“It wasn’t just what he did to his friend, he stole from people, got in many fights and was harassing girls. He drank a lot, used drugs and was violent,” he added.

Salmin, was convicted of murdering his friend by grabbing a rock and hitting on his head twice.

Several other released convicts also have a history of horrifying crimes. Alexander Tyutin, one such convict, was accused of ordering the contract killing of his business partner and family.

The release of the former convicts who volunteer for Wagner is contentious among Russians as many of whom fear that the released convicts will go on to commit further crimes. The report said at least half of Russian convicts who were released would probably end up in prison again.

The Wagner mercenary group said it had ended its recruitment drive at prisons across Russia, which aimed to bolster Moscow’s forces fighting in Ukraine.

Recent media reports said Wagner was having more difficulty recruiting prisoners because they had heard about the high casualty rates among Russian convicts sent into battle.

Wagner is believed to have recruited tens of thousands of prisoners willing to kill for their freedom.

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