Russia Sends Female Inmates to War Amid Abuse Allegations

The 'Verstka' outlet reported on how women from Russian colonies are being sent to war—and face abuse and violence from commanders.

Consensus

In 2024, the Russian Ministry of Defense launched a project named 'Choice' to send women from correctional colonies to military service.
The project offered a one-year contract, a salary of at least 220,000 rubles, and the possibility of pardon and release from sentence.
Women were sent to front-line medical units to provide first aid to wounded soldiers.
Many women reported experiencing sexual abuse, threats of being sent to the front, and intimidation by commanders.
Some women were subjected to demands for sexual services, with threats of 'nullification' (loss of benefits or punishment) if they refused.
The first group was recruited in early 2024 from correctional colonies in the Southern Federal District without selection or training.
A second group was recruited in autumn 2024 in Irkutsk Oblast, with two weeks of training in tactical medicine conducted by former Wagner Group fighters.
The training included giving each woman a medical kit and advising them not to go to the front.
Some women died due to self-harm, drug overdoses, internal conflicts, or combat.
Survivors were transferred to rear hospitals.
One woman, Lyudmila Poltarakova, was a former European champion in arm wrestling and a master of sports international class, sentenced for drug-related offenses in 2019.

The project was described as a mass mobilization of women from correctional colonies, with no mention of training or selection. — tg_svobodnieslova
The first group was recruited without any selection or preparation, and many died due to self-harm, drugs, or violence; some were killed in combat. — meduza
Commanders demanded sexual services from the women, threatening to send them to the front if they refused, and one commander claimed he could decide their placement. — tg_theinsider