Putin ally Prigozhin grants freedom to first Russian convicts who fought in Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: The United States announced on March 3, 2022 they were imposing sanctions against Russian oligarchs, including Yevgeniy Prigozhin (seen in an FBI poster), as it targeted Russia's super-rich and others close to President Vladimir Putin, further ratcheting up financial pressure over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. FBI/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Russia's most powerful mercenary group, bade farewell on Thursday to former convicts who had served out their contracts in Ukraine and urged them to avoid the temptation to kill when back in civilian life.

Wagner Group, originally staffed by battle-hardened veterans of the Russian armed forces, has fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic and Mali as well as in Ukraine.