There are currently 210 pre-trial detention centers in Russia, so about 20,000 people may be sent to serve, the media outlet said.The law allows military service for defendants whose cases are pending in a court of first instance during mobilization or wartime. Another law signed by Putin allows for the release from criminal liability of defendants who have previously been mobilized or who have signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry.According to the newly adopted legislation, criminal proceedings against these people will be suspended, and the preventive measure will be canceled during military service. A similar procedure applies to convicts whose sentences have been issued but not yet finalized, including during an appeal process in a criminal case.The defendants will be fully exempt from criminal liability after receiving a state award or dismissal from military service due to age, health condition, or the end of mobilization.Moscow has been recruiting convicts for its war against Ukraine since summer 2022, first under the auspices of the Wagner mercenary company and then directly under the Russian Defense Ministry.The U.K.