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1/ Russian convicts who signed six-month contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence to fight in Ukraine in exchange for a pardon are dismayed to find that they are now being threatened with death or torture unless they sign new contracts for up to a year. ⬇️ 
2/ Members of at least two 'Storm Z' assault units have reportedly been taken to the 'Concentration Rehabilitation Centre' in Zaitseve, Luhansk region, and put under pressure to sign a new contract after their six-month contracts expired.
3/ This facility has been used to imprison and torture hundreds of recalcitrant Russian soldiers since at least as early as November 2022. Soldiers have described being starved, interrogated and beaten to persuade them to return to the fight.
https://twitter.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1671253659668344832
4/ According to the mother of one of the ex-convicts, "There were originally 42 of them in the unit. Two of them became 200s [killed], another 28 were wounded. The remaining ones were sent to rest the day before by regimental commander Yuri Illarionov."
5/ "However, in fact they were accused of abandoning their positions and taken to the military prison in Zaitseve. Now there is no contact with them."
Her son had signed a six-month contract in May but has been under pressure and threats since September to sign a fresh contract.
Her son had signed a six-month contract in May but has been under pressure and threats since September to sign a fresh contract.
6/ Another convict soldier told his family that he and his comrades were "offered two options: either sign a contract and move to another unit right now, or stay in Zaitseve and "wait to see what happens to you next.""
7/ The wife of a third former prisoner has corroborated these accounts. He joined the 27th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade (military unit number 61899) and is now being forced to extend his contract for another year. His wife says:
8/ "They were presented with a fait accompli - either they had to renew the contract, or they would throw them into Zaitseve, or maybe... they would [get shot] in the back by their own people. Former prisoners there are not considered people at all, they are not paid in combat."
9/ "In June, he was seriously wounded in the heart area, but he was never given a certificate so that he could receive [compensation] payments."
10/ A further 28 men from the 150th Motor Rifle Division (military unit number 22179) have reportedly been sent to Zaitseve. The mother of one says: "Today is the third day that my son is held in Zaitseve."
11/ "They are forced to sign a contract under the same conditions, [but] without a pardon. Although, when the general came to visit them in the colony, he promised that there would be a pardon after the end of the contract. The contract ends in two weeks."
12/ Men from the same unit recorded a video in June saying that they were refusing to follow "terrible orders" after losing 110 out of 150 men on the front line. They had no ammunition, food or water.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1674370881332686851
13/ The wife of another convict says that ex-convicts have been systematically "oppressed for being zeks [convicts]" and have been mistreated by the military.
14/ "My husband has several injuries, none of which he has received payment for. All the time they are told in this vein: 'Have you forgotten that you are a convict?' He contacted me and said they were being taken out on vacation. But instead they were taken to Zaitseve."
15/ "Now they are being pressed very hard to sign one-year contracts. He does not have a valid contract in his hands, but I have a sample contract and agreement that he signed. The contract says that they are obliged to serve for 6 months." /end
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