A criminal gang in Russia been accused of stealing recruitment payments for homeless people they forced to sign on to fight in the war in Ukraine.

The scam in the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions involved the gang targeting homeless people by giving them temporary accommodation and then pressuring them into signing military contracts, The Moscow Times reported.

The recruits were forced to issue power of attorney to the gang who accessed their bank accounts, according to the internal ministry which said seven people face charges.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian internal ministry for comment.

Why It Matters

Russia has offered lucrative financial incentives to attract recruits to fight in Ukraine which include large signing-on bonuses, salaries higher than the national ave

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