Yevhen Prigozhin, a St. Petersburg businessman close to Vladimir Putin, who is called in the media one of the founders and sponsors of the Russian private military company "Wagner", recruited about a thousand prisoners from two correctional colonies in the Rostov region for the war with Ukraine, reports "Vot Tak" publication with reference to prisoners of one of these colonies in the city of Bataysk.

According to the publication's sources, Prigozhin flew to the colony on a private helicopter together with another head of the "Wagner" PMC, Dmitry Utkin.

Before their visit, the administration of correctional colony No. 15 turned off the personal video recorders of its employees.

As the "Vot Tak" sources told, the prisoners were beaten on the square.

Speaking before them, Prigozhin promised that those who agreed to go to fight in Ukraine would get their freedom in six months, and during the hostilities they could do "whatever they want" with the Ukrainians, and they wouldn't get anything for it.

At the same time, in case of escape or attempt to surrender, Prigozhin, according to the prisoners, threatened to shoot.

As a result, according to Vot Tak sources, about 700 of the 1,500 prisoners of the correctional colony No. 15 agreed to Prigozhin's proposal.

In another Rostov colony, according to the publication, out of a thousand prisoners, about three hundred people agreed to fight.

Previously, the media repeatedly reported on the recruitment of Russian prisoners to participate in combat operations on the territory of Ukraine, as well as the fact that Yevgeny Prigozhin is personally engaged in the search for mercenaries.

It was reported, in particular, about his visits to three colonies in Ivano-Frankivsk region, where he managed to recruit 650 people.

PVK "Wagner" is a Russian unofficial military unit that is not listed on the balance sheet of the military departments and in the register of legal entities, but its fighters, according to numerous journalistic investigations, take part in ground operations of the Russian Federation in Syria, Africa and in the war in Ukraine.

PVK "Wagner" is considered one of the most combat-capable units participating in battles on Ukrainian territories.

According to information from the investigative group Bellingcat, "Wagner" fighters are involved in numerous war crimes.

Evgeny Prigozhin denies both his connection with the PMC and the recruitment of prisoners.