Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Friday allowing the recruitment of citizens with unclear or pending convictions for various serious crimes. Russians convicted of murder, robbery, theft, drug trafficking and other serious crimes under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation can be called up for military service, according to the law. This makes it possible to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people who have been sentenced to probation or have recently been released from colonies that were previously prohibited from serving. The only group of criminals exempted from the decree are those who have committed sex crimes against minors, treason, espionage or terrorism. Also excluded are those convicted of attempted assassination of a government official, hijacking a plane, extremist activity and illegal handling of nuclear materials and radioactive substances. The Kremlin has already mobilized an additional 18,000 troops above its target of 300,000 to fight in the war in Ukraine from Russia’s general male population, Putin said on Friday.
