Prisoners were allegedly threatened not to try to escape or they would be shot, and shown a video of a prisoner being skinned alive as a warning.“They can have their fingers cut off and even killed for refusing to follow orders.”Mr Osechkin, a dissident who was forced to flee Russia, said the Russian state was responsible for Wagner’s alleged crimes.The practice of recruiting from prisons became widely known after a leaked video showed Wagner leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin – known as “Putin’s chef” -, offering inmates freedom in exchange for a six-month term at the front.But Wagner and Mr Prigozhin could face legal trouble in the UK where lawyers have launched an action targeting the group’s assets on behalf of Ukrainian refugees forced to flee their homeland after the Russian invasion.More From The i- UK won’t be deflected by Russian ‘distraction’ tactics over Ukraine, James Cleverly saysThe i- Cost of living payment date: When the second CoL grant of £324 will be paid in November 2022, and who gets itThe i- UK airports see mixed fortunes as Stansted and Southend reflect both robust growth and serious declineThe i"