Russian Prisoners On Front Lines: Fighting To Deserve Pardon And Honor

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The Wagner PMC recruited several Russian prisoners to take part in the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. Dozens of prisoners took their chance to take part in hostilities in the ranks of the most combat-ready formations and deserve pardon.

Prisoners who serve six months in the ranks of “Wagner” fighters can reportedly be pardoned or remain in the ranks of fighters and continue to fight on the front lines.

Recently, the first video showing the former prisoners and veterans of the military conflict in Ukraine being awarded the full pardon and release was shared by the media.

The fighters told why they wanted to go to the front, and described the training process. All of them were injured and were interviewed at the hospital before they were sent to rehabilitation. Despite their injuries, all the fighters announced their decision to return to the front line and continue to support their comrades.

– With your blood and your soldier’s sweat then you deserved pardon!

No one gave it to you, did not bring it, you deserved it yourself! It was by participating in battles and showing heroism. Therefore, I am glad to award you.

– You are awarded the medal “For Courage”! Hold it! The memorial sign of the Wagner PMC for the War Wounded, a charter from the head of the national center for defense management of the Russian Federation and the most important document I spoke about, a certificate of release, a full pardon. Congratulations!

– Thank you!

– You are awarded the medal “For Courage”! You receive our memorial sign for the War Wounded, a charter from the head of the national defense control center, your passport and a certificate of pardon. Congratulations!

– Thank you!

– You are awarded the medal “For Courage”! You receive our sign for the War Wounded, a charter from the head of the national center for defense management of the Russian Federation, your papers and the certificate of pardon. Congratulations to you, dear!

– You are awarded the state award of the Russian Federation with a medal “For Courage”! Also you receive a sign of the Wagner PMC for the War Wounded, a charter from the head of the national center for defense management of the Russian Federation, you get back completely all your documents and the main thing, the certificate of pardon.

– Bogdanov Stanislav Leonidovich, article 105, part two, article 162, part four: murder with particular cruelty related to robbery.

To this moment, I had already been in prison for 10 years and I should stay for a little more than the same period. I wanted to try to change my life and this was my choice, i.e. change something in my life, because such a proposal in life happens only once and I tried it. Maybe I’m made for something else, not just to serve my sentence and to spend my life in prison.

There was preparation. When we arrived, we rested for a day. Then we began to train from morning to evening. The preparation was very hard, but no one died, everyone was on their feet and this preparation helped me a lot. Therefore, it was much easier for me to fight on the front lines.

I am grateful to the instructors who trained us. There were a lot of us, and there were few of them, but we trained amicably. We remembered what they showed us and told us, studied. If something didn’t work out on the training ground, we tried to improve it in our spare time. I am grateful, thank them very much!

I was not in the army and I don’t know how they teach there, but from the stories of other guys who were there with me, here none of us rested, trained as far as we had enough strength. These trainings were very hard for me, but “hard in teaching, easy in combat”! It’s always up to us to go forward! We rested – forward, slightly rested – forward again!

There were losses, wounded, treated, someone even remained among the wounded, with scratches, they received medical assistance on the spot, never abandoned their guys.

In the morning we took a position, at 9 o’clock in the morning, there were about 20 people, 2 groups and until 9 o’clock in the evening we held on, beat them (note: soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine), shot from everything that could be shot. The guys also helped us from the air and we knocked them (the AFU) out and took this position. I was wounded in the leg by a piece of grenade, but I refused to leave, I said I could walk and it was just a scratch. The shard was taken out and I stayed. Then, the nationalists began to fire at us from tanks. We could not leave, we took this position and if we left, then they would took control of it.

The shelling began. One shell fell on my comrade; comrade was a good one… And the second shell hit my leg. Thanks to the guys who pulled me out and didn’t leave me.

It happened around 11 pm, it was dark, you can’t even see your hand, only the stars can be seen. But the guys didn’t leave me, thank you very much! They called for evacuation. I did not think that they would come in such darkness and did not think at all that they would find their way, especially since this is the first road that was established by us.

But they came, two of them, they put me on a stretcher and said that they would carry me slowly and carefully, because it was dark. The scariest thing was that I was afraid for them, because there were petals scattered everywhere. There were a lot of them there. There were a couple of strikes, but it’s not scary, they still did not suffer. There we had a lot of trenches, we dug confidently, we were taught.

They carried me to the road and said that we would go along the road so as not to take risks. The road there was under fire. At the risk of their lives, they saved mine. I am very grateful to them!

Afterwards, I no longer remember some moments, I “blacked out”.

I am grateful to these guys who saved me. They’re here at the moment, I’ve met them here, they’re wounded too. I thanked them, hugged them, wished them the best, that they don’t lose any spirit or body parts, that they stay alive! So that their mothers could see them, so that parents could see their sons.

But I’ll probably stay among the guys, I’ll stay! They gave me a second life and I use it for these purposes: to remain among the fighters, among the faithful, brave and courageous guys who do not leave their comrades, who will always help! I’ll stay!

– Arteev Andrey Borisovich, article 162, part two – robbery. I received 5 years under this article.

How did I get into the Wagner PMCs? The employees of this company came to the correctional institution, an offer was received from them and I immediately took the initiative, i.e. I saw that the guys came and I went to them in order to protect my Motherland, atone for my guilt and in general to be for the good of society.

I am physically a very hardy person, I tried to train constantly every day from morning to evening. Then nutrition, sleep and in the morning again the same and so every day, almost a month of training and this time was quite enough to prepare. We got good skills and we were already prepared fighters when we arrived at the position.

The instructors were great, they instructed us well, helped, explained everything. We arrived there already knowing what awaits us, who our enemy is. In general, everything went well, no one threw us like cannon fodder, everything was done well and competently.

We prepared for the offensive, defended ourselves, then went on a mission “reconnaissance-by-combat” and there I blew up on a mine. My leg was torn off. Now, in general, everything is fine, treatment is good, everything is fine, everything is great. I survived and that’s the most important thing!

I am very grateful to the guys who reacted quickly, put on a tourniquet, made a painkiller. The evacuation was carried out quickly, the car arrived on time, I was taken very quickly to the hospital. I am very grateful to the guys for this that they saved my life! They brought me to the hospital on time, there I had a blood transfusion, everything was good, everything is fine!

I will return back to Wagner PMC. I found a family here, I do not see myself in ordinary life anymore. I will come home to see relatives and friends and go back, here, to the guys, to the company.

– Vladimir Vladimirovich, call sign “Bars,” previously I was serving a sentence under Article 162, part two, the term of imprisonment was 5 years. When I came here, I had literally 6 months left before my release. I considered it necessary to go, although I had just a little bit left and everything was not bad there, but this is my duty and my job.

There were trainings, special training. We were prepared by special subdivision. The trainings are tough, but they are expedient and aimed at tactics and everything. The preparation is very good, of a high level, our Ministry of Defense does not prepare this way, namely in the Russian army. This is the way special forces troops are preparing.

We walked the trail along the forest, their positions – our positions. We walked in a big group, stretched out, the first group passed, we walked in another group. I was walking in the lead. We were told where the petals were, on the left, on the right, the mines and I marked them. In front of me people have passed, and I stepped on the petal. And literally a few minutes later my commander came running, they pricked me with the Promedol and bandaged me. The guys are generally well done!

Four carried me on a stretcher, two covered us, I myself did not let the riffle out of my hands. When we reached our position, the fascists began to fire mortars at us. It did not last long, perhaps 5 minutes, then there was an evacuation, cars arrived and evacuated. Everything was fast, clear. The guys covered us. When we walked along the field, there were funnels, i.e. there could still be shelling and the guys left in the forest. I told them to go to the forest, and and leave me lying. But they did not leave me and were with me! Further hospital. I don’t remember how anymore.

I want to continue to work. This is my job, I can’t do it any other way and I don’t want to!

I want to serve the Motherland!

Earlier, on October 8, another video from the front lines showed one of the first cases of awarding a former prisoner with the Title of Hero of the LPR, who washed his sins with blood.

“For the skilful command of the unit, for the exemplary performance of combat tasks… as well as the courage and heroism shown at the same time, Levshunov Sergey Nikolaevich is awarded the title of Hero of the Luhansk People’s Republic.” – with these words, one of the commanders of the Wagner PMCs presented the fighter with the highest award of the LPR.

Businessman, owner of the Concord group Yevgeny Prigozhin has predicted the fate of convicts who may take part in hostilities after the end of the military operation.

“Firstly, many of us will not return from this war, I hope I am no exception. Secondly, having embarked on the path of good, it will be difficult for you to turn away from it, I know this for myself. Thirdly, if we are not needed at the front, in defense of their country, they will be sent all over the world to deal with terrorists, colonizers and offenders of Russian interests. And finally, by joining our combat brotherhood, they will feel their responsibility for us and feel our responsibility for them,” Prigozhin said in response to a question about what will happen when the prisoners return.

Earlier, Russian Senator Olga Kovitidi reported on the work on the draft law on the participation of convicts in hostilities. The bill assumes that if a convicted person “shows courage and heroism in the performance of military duty <…> and thereby proves his correction,” then, on the recommendation of the command, the court can release him from serving his sentence or the remainder of the sentence.”

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