Russia to recruit prisoners with hepatitis into assault units – Ukrainian intel

This was reported by the press service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine via Telegram, as noted by Ukrinform.

According to the intelligence report, a directive from the Russian Minister of Defense, dated October 10, 2024, excludes hepatitis C from the list of illnesses that disqualify individuals from military service. A special procedure has been established for recruiting prisoners with hepatitis into the Russian occupation army.

The report indicates that in Russia, individuals infected with hepatitis are labeled as "contingent C."

It is stated that before being sent to the front lines, these prisoners will formally receive a hepatitis B vaccination and undergo antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.

"According to Russian leaders, this new mobilization decision will enable the recruitment of thousands of prisoners for the brutal assaults in the war against Ukraine. For example, there are about 10,000 individuals with hepatitis in prisons and detention centers within the so-called Central Military District of the Russian Armed Forces, with approximately 15% expressing a voluntary desire to fight," the press service informed.

The military intelligence has reported that the first four assault companies and two reserve companies formed from these prisoners are being organized within the 1435th and 1437th motorized rifle regiments (27th and 15th motorized rifle brigades of the Russian Armed Forces, respectively).

According to the intelligence, the newly created Russian assault units named "B-C" (after the hepatitis types) are planned to be deployed in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

"Thus, catastrophic losses and fears of protests in major cities, which could be triggered by the announcement of general mobilization, compel Moscow to 'dig deep' for all the unhealthy elements from prisons for its criminal war," the report states.

It was previously reported that on March 6, 2023, Ukraine's intelligence indicated that Russia was sending individuals with hepatitis C to fight in Ukraine. At that time, the release of these soldiers was only being carried out if they were being replaced by others.