Prisoners, including murderers sent to fight for Russia in Ukraine, have been officially pardoned for their crimes after being badly wounded on the front line.
Stanislav Bogdanov, 35, who was a decade into a 23-year sentence for killing a judge when he agreed to fight for the Wagner mercenary group, was filmed receiving his pardon after losing his right leg from knee and down.
He was pardoned along with Andrey Arteev, 35, a robber who also lost his leg, and Rustam Borovkov, 31, a hijacker who lost his right arm.
Meanwhile, Russia confirmed that five mobilized soldiers have been killed in Ukraine, the first known to have died since Putin began conscripting men three weeks ago.
Stanislav Bogdanov, 35 (circled left) is a convicted murderer who went to fight for Wagner in Ukraine and had his leg blown off, meaning he has been pardoned and can walk free
The soldiers, who were not named, came from the city of Chelyabinsk near the border with Kazakhstan, local outlet 74.ru reported.
“Unfortunately, the military commissariat confirmed the information about the death of five South Ural men,” the local governor’s office said.
Meanwhile, Russian state media also released footage of four soldiers being pardoned after being wounded.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a man dubbed Putin’s chef because he caters for the Kremlin, has offered prison inmates clemency in exchange for six months of fighting with his Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine.
He has been filmed in prisons warning men that the only way out of his private army is to retire or in a coffin.
Bogdanov was one of those who came forward after being convicted of killing judge Sergey Zhiganov in the city of Veliky Novgorod ten years ago while trying to steal bank cards.
Bogdanov (encircled right) is pictured with Wagner chieftain Yevgeny Prigozhin (centre) and his fellow pardoned combatants
Andrey Arteev, 35 (front left), a robber who also lost his leg, was also pardoned, and Rustam Borovkov, 31 (back right), a hijacker who lost his right arm.
He explained how he and his comrades had come under fire from a Ukrainian tank while trying to hold a position.
One of his fellow soldiers was shot by the tank and the second shot shattered his leg and left him bleeding to death.
But other soldiers came to his rescue, he explained: ‘Thanks to the guys who pulled me out and didn’t leave me. They risked their lives to save mine. I am very grateful.
Bogdanov explained why he went to war, adding: ‘I wanted to try to change my life. This only happens once in a lifetime.
“Maybe I was created for something else, and not just to serve a sentence and spend the rest of my life there. The training was really hard.’
Another convict Andrey Arteev, 35, had been jailed for theft, robbery and extortion and was nearing the start of a five-year sentence.
He denied being ‘cannon fodder’ at the front, but admitted he was wounded by an exploding mine.
“My leg was ripped off,” he said. ‘I survived, that’s the most important thing.
Stanislav Bogdanov (left) and Vladimir Gutman (right) agreed to exchange their prison sentences in exchange for six months on the front lines in Ukraine
‘I’m so grateful to the guys who responded quickly, put a gag on me, gave me an anesthetic and got me out.’
He said, like Bogdanov, that he would have stayed with the Wagner Group if not for his injury. “I found a family,” he said.
An unseen official in a video from Prigozhin’s Ria Fan media handing out pardons and military awards to the convicted.
“You have earned this pardon with your blood and sweat – and your heroism,” he said.
Also pardoned was Rustam Borovkov, 31, serving 13 years for robbery and hijacking, who lost his right arm.
All prisoners recruited as fighters who survive six months will be pardoned under the Putin scheme.