# 69% of Russian soldiers on Zaporizhzhia front have criminal records, Ukrainian military says

https://mins.news/en/item/67661

- The Kyiv Independent, 2026-09-21 16:24 UTC
- World
- Original: https://kyivindependent.com/69-of-russian-soldiers-on-zaporizhzhia-front-line-have-criminal-records-ukrainian-military-says/

> A Ukrainian military spokesperson said 69% of Russian servicemen fighting near Zaporizhzhia have criminal records. Ukrainian internal analysis also found that 31% of Russia’s overall force joined to avoid criminal charges, while 24% enlisted to improve their finances.

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