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Rights activists: Russia is recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine war

Human rights activists said that Russian prisons are actively seeking volunteers to fight in Moscow's war on neighbouring Ukraine.
Suspects and defendants are being recruited with the promise that in exchange, the authorities will drop criminal proceedings, said Olga Romanova, a Russian civil rights activist based in Berlin, in a Facebook post, citing examples from pretrial detention centres in the Moscow area.
"But I think it has started everywhere," said Romanova, a specialist on prisoners' rights in Russia.
Moscow depends on volunteers as general conscription has not been introduced to fill the ranks of its armed forces fighting in Ukraine, in the invasion that began in February, according to the Anews, the DPA repprted.
The fact that in many areas, officials are posting street advertisements for people to fight in the war may indicate a shortage of personnel at the front. Cities and regions are currently forming their own battalions.

In the Russian judicial system, almost all indictments end in a guilty verdict, meaning suspects and defendants appear to be given the choice between going to war or going to prison.
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The founder of Gulaga.net, a project created to combat violence in Russian prisons, Vladimir Ossetschkin, confirmed the recruitment practices in prisons from France, where he is living in exile. He said there were indications of the practice from St. Petersburg, Ryazan, Tver and Bryansk.
Russian media have been reporting on the search for volunteers in the nation's many penal camps since July, according to Meduza website, which said Wagner mercenary group was recruiting convicts.
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Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wanted Kremlin businessman and backer of Wagner, personally recruited volunteers in prison camps, Mediazona website reported.
It should be noted that the prisoners were said to have been promised monthly pay of 100,000 roubles ($1,625) along with bonuses, payments to their families in the event of death, and an amnesty.
Source: anews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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