Russian soldier complains he was used as 'cannon fodder' sent to slaughter

Russian convict-turned-captured soldier claims a Wagner Group commander sent the ex-convicts to 'scout' while the main battalion waited in the wings< /p> Russian soldiers patrolling Donetsk, Ukraine (

Image: AFP via Getty Images

Russian servicemen have complained of being used as 'cannon fodder' as Vladimir Putin continues to send young men to the slaughterhouse in Ukraine.

A Russian soldier - who was one of 400 ex-convicts recruited from Russian prisons - told Ukrainian media how their Wagner Group commander sent them on "scouting" while experienced troops waited in the wings.

He said, "We are being used as cannon fodder. Our commander sent us forward, at first we were marching alongside, but when we looked back they were very far behind.

"The usual cannon fodder: they wanted us to scout their positions, to see who's where... We're like cannon fodder..."

The man claimed to have been given a "completely different story" when they were personally recruited from Russian prisons by Wagner chief Yevgney Prigozhin.

Prigozhin told the recruits that they would fight alongside the more "experienced" and established soldiers, who would train them, he claimed.

They were also told that they would not be heading to the front lines.

emergency services fight fire after shelling in Kyiv (

Picture:

Zuma Press / eyevine)

This comes as Ukrainian officials accuse the Kremlin of targeting 408 infrastructure...