JAKARTA - The United States said private Russian military company Wagner Group tried to recruit more than 1,500 criminals who were serving sentences to join as they were said to have lost many personnel in the war in Ukraine.
"Our information shows Wagner has suffered heavy losses in Ukraine, especially among young and inexperienced soldiers," a US official said on condition of anonymity.
The US official pointed to a recent social media video, showing Yevgeny Prigozhin, who according to the US and European Union Department of Finance linked to the Wagner Group, is trying to recruit prisoners.
The video shows Prigozhin trying to recruit Russian prisoners as well as Tajik, Belarusian, and Armenian.
Previously, the European Union had imposed sanctions on the Wagner Group, accusing it of carrying out clandestine operations on behalf of the Kremlin.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin said the group does not represent the Russian state, but private military contractors have the right to work anywhere in the world, as long as they do not violate Russian law.
The Wagner Group is also accused by rights groups and the Ukrainian Government of committing war crimes in Syria and eastern Ukraine from 2014 onwards.
In July, British military intelligence said Russia had used Wagner to strengthen frontline troops in Ukraine's conflict.
Separately, the Pentagon last month said Russia suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 casualties, either killed or injured, since its invasion of Ukraine began.
As previously reported, Ukrainian troops are continuing to advance in the eastern front, paving the way for possible attacks on occupied troops in Donbas.
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