You are confused. The 1400 volunteers a day are signing up to join the Russian Armed Forces. The convicts were fighting for Wagner.

Prigozhin enlisted convicts because he had a contract with the Russian government that paid him to recruit and pay soldiers. He recruited convicts because he did not have to pay them. They fought in order to get a pardon or a reduction in prison time.

That meant more profit for Prigozhin.

It was business.