A fifth of Russian prisoners fighting in Ukraine are infected with HIV, according to Ukrainian authorities. Several of the soldiers are forced to fight for the Wagner group to get their medicine, the New York Times reports. – If you have a long sentence, this gives you a chance to live again, says prisoner of war Ruslan to the newspaper. A fifth of all Russian soldiers released from prison in Russia to fight in Ukraine are infected with HIV, the New York Times reports, citing figures from the Ukrainian authorities. The figures are in turn based on statistics on the Russian prisoners of war captured by Ukraine. The newspaper has spoken to several of the HIV-infected prisoners of war and several tell that they were promised medicine if they fight for Russia. One of the prisoners, 37-year-old Timur, says that in December he was offered to fight for six months under the banner of the Wagner group in exchange for medicine and a pardon. – I understood that I would have a quick death or a slow death. I chose a quick death, he says. According to Timur, commanders in the Wagner group threatened to shoot him during one of his first exercises. Appreciates Wagner group’s decision Ruslan, another prisoner of war, tells the newspaper that he joined the Wagner group last December after being denied effective drugs. He also says that he fell ill during an exercise with the paramilitary group. A month later he was sent to Bakhmut during one of the Russian raids where he was captured. Ruslan emphasizes that he appreciated the Wagner group’s decision to accept HIV-infected soldiers. – If you have a long sentence, this gives you a chance to start living again, he says.
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