Conscripts in Ukraine: Russia says those responsible are punished

Russian soldiers march in Sevastopol in Crimea on May 5, 2022 (illustration image).

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1 min

This is a very sensitive subject in Russian public opinion: the sending of conscripts to theaters of conflict.

Vladimir Putin had also personally committed at the beginning of March that this would not be the case.

Russia has just announced that several hundred of them have actually been sent as part of the "special operation" as the Kremlin says, but also explaining that those responsible will be punished.

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With our correspondent in Moscow,

Anissa El Jabri

It was a military prosecutor who made the announcement, about 600 conscripts have been sent to Ukraine but almost all have already been repatriated, he says.

Almost all of them, except a certain number of them whose figure has not been communicated.

They would be Russian conscripts who were taken prisoner.

Those responsible for their enrollment have been identified, assure the authorities.

A dozen officers involved have all been sanctioned, assured the prosecutor.

There was a reaction from us to each violation of the rule 

," he said in substance.

The spokesman of the presidency recalled this Wednesday before the start of the "special operation" as the Kremlin says, " 

all the commanders of the units of the Armed Forces were informed of the order of the president to categorically exclude any use of conscripts

”.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on March 2 that no conscripts were taking part in the "special operation" in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a similar statement on March 8.

Two weeks ago, the Russian parliament abolished the age limit for enlisting in the army.

A way said a deputy " 

to attract experts in sought-after specialties

".

The age limit is increased from 40 years to the legal retirement age, which is currently set at 61.5 years for men.

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