 Russian women opposed Putin's pardoning of prisoners and public discontent is growing. A poll found that more than half of Russians do not support pardoning prisoners who have previously committed serious crimes if they take part in the war in Ukraine upon release according to Newsweek. Russian Field, a non-partisan Moscow-based research company, released its findings on Telegram. According to the poll, 55% of respondents said they do not support the idea of pardoning participants in the Ukraine war who were convicted of serious crimes prior to joining Russian troops. 32% of respondents said they do support pardoning prisoners who fight for Russia. The independent Russian media outlet Medusa reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees in June that pardons prisoners who agree to fight in Ukraine. Putin reportedly said the recidivism rate among prisoners who become soldiers is low. However, there have been multiple media reports of former prisoners accused of committing serious crimes, including murder, after they returned home from the front lines of Ukraine. Women were most likely to oppose the idea of pardoning prisoners who serve in the military with 60% stating they are against it, compared to 27% in favor of pardons. 48% of men opposed the pardon plan and 39% said they support it. Younger respondents and people with higher incomes and or higher education levels were more likely to oppose pardoning prisoners according to Russian field. The recruitment of inmates from Russian penal colonies first became a practice publicized by the Wagner Group of Russian Mercenaries before reports alleged the Russian Ministry of Defense was also taking in convicts.