Almost 350 prisoners have been granted release from detention to serve in the military following the implementation of a new conscription law, as reported by Justice Minister Denys Maliuska in an interview with the New York Times on May 24.
Ukraine’s parliament approved a bill on May 8 allowing individuals convicted of specific offenses to join the military voluntarily, enabling the mobilization of prisoners. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the bill into law on May 17.
Maliuska mentioned the possibility of up to 20,000 convicts serving in the military to alleviate prison overcrowding. The judiciary has received 4,300 applications and is reviewing most of them, as per the New York Times.
The initiative is a response to Ukraine’s urgent need for manpower due to ongoing intense warfare, aiming to replenish troops, establish reserves, and enable soldiers to rotate off the front lines. The government plans to enhance mobilization efforts in 2024 and revolutionize military recruitment.
Court in Khmelnytskyi Oblast releases 50 prisoners to join army after new conscription law
A court in Ukraine’s Khmelnytskyi Oblast released another 50 prisoners on the condition that they join the military under the new conscription law, the court’s press service reported on May 24.
