 Russian Guard recruiting ex-convicts who fought in Wagner ranks. The Russian Guard units are reportedly recruiting former prisoners from the Wagner group, who were pardoned for participating in a full-scale war against Ukraine. That's according to the Russian opposition publication Vasnyi is story. According to the report, messages about recruitment to the Russian Guard began to appear in closed chat rooms for families and mercenaries at the end of the summer. Several members of such groups confirmed to journalists that ex-prisoners convicted of minor and moderate crimes are indeed invited to the Russian Guard, but not to command positions and not even as mid-rank officers. The publication's correspondent confirmed to the reports by calling HR departments of several Russian Guard units posing as a former mercenary with the Wagner group with a cleared criminal record. The journalist learned that from HR officers that former convicts from Yevgeny Prigoshin's group can indeed enter the service with the Russian Guard, but it all depends on the nature of the crime they committed and how long ago the potential candidates served their term. As reported, Russian convicts have been actively recruited to participate in the war in Ukraine from the summer of 2022. They are promised pardons and monetary rewards. In June 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that he was signing pardon decrees for prisoners who agree to fight in Ukraine. In June 2023, Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows military units to sign contracts with convicts as well as those suspected and indicted in criminal cases.