SLAUGHTER OF GHOSTS. HOW RUSSIAN PRISONERS FIGHT IN UKRAINE

Russian government classified its program to recruit prisoners for the war in Ukraine. But the experiment quickly grew so large that keeping it secret became impossible. Journalist Daniil Belovodyev from investigative media Systema reviewed hundreds of Defense Ministry documents and open data. He spoke with participants and eyewitnesses to tell the most complete story of this military project. The investigation uncovered Vladimir Putin’s personal involvement in this project, as well as the identities of the generals who proposed the idea of creating a "combat Gulag". It was revealed that the military intelligence agency, the GRU, oversaw the recruitment of prisoners. Three semi-secret special forces units were identified, into which the most violent convicts were recruited. Testimonies were collected describing acts of cruelty so extreme that even experienced commanders were brought to tears on camera. Slaughter of Ghosts is a story of one of the most cinycal and human rights-violating military experiments of the 21st century.