UK Intelligence on Friday accused Russian authorities of using prisoners of war as labor in the defense industry.
The British Ministry of Defense has indicated in a brief statement that, according to Intelligence data, Russia would be using these prisoners to «cover its needs in terms of defense industrial production in times of war».
Last November, Uralvagonzavod, the main Russian producer of armored vehicles indicated that it would hire 250 prisoners of war. «There is a long tradition of prison labor in Russia, but since 2017, forced labor as a form of punishment has been introduced to a greater extent,» the ministry warned.
Prison authorities have also been accused of exercising «extreme brutality» and serious corruption problems. «Prisoners represent a unique human resource that Russian leaders can use to support their invasion of Ukraine, especially since they do not have many volunteers,» it has noted.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
