Russia's Controversial Prison Policies and Sentencing Practices.

Russian prisoners recruited by the Defense Ministry are now signing 18-month contracts to serve in the military, up from six months previously. The NGO Russia Behind Bars reports that the new practice has been observed in the Sverdlovsk and Yaroslavl regions. Wagner Group, which pioneered the recruitment of prisoners to fight in Ukraine, has seen over 50,000 prisoners recruited by winter 2022. The increased length of contracts may be connected to the Russian authorities' admission that the war will continue into 2024.