Russia's Wagner boss: It's prisoners fighting in Ukraine, or your children

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian private military company, Wagner group, has defended the idea of sending prisoners to fight in the Ukraine war after a video showed him recruiting at a prison, Report informs referring to the BBC.

Prigozhin said those who do not want to send convicts to fight should send their own children instead.

Earlier, leaked footage showed him telling inmates they would be freed if they served six months with his group.

The Wagner group is believed to have been fighting in Ukraine since 2014.

In a statement published on social media after the video went viral, Prigozhin said that if he were in prison he would "dream of" joining the Wagner group to "pay my debt to the Motherland".

He added a message to those who do not want mercenaries or prisoners to fight.

"It's either private military companies and prisoners, or your children - decide for yourself."

Russian law does not allow prisoners to be freed in exchange for military or mercenary service, but Prigozhin said in the video that "nobody goes back behind bars" if they serve with the Wagner group.