Seven women who were serving time in prison signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They wanted to do military service under a contract in exchange for parole.
This is reported by the Ministry of Justice.
The prisoners have already successfully passed the military medical commission and received the consent of the commanders of military units to serve in specific units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
These are the first female prisoners who wanted to mobilize.
Mobilization of convicts
On May 17, 2024, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law that allows convicts to voluntarily mobilize into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The law provides for the possibility for prisoners to be released on parole (by court order) for military service under a contract.
However, such an opportunity can be used only by those who have been awarded restrictions or deprivation of liberty under light articles. At the same time, those convicted of intentional murder of two or more people, rape, sexual violence, terrorism and treason will not be able to mobilize. Nor will it be allowed to replace the punishment with the opportunity to fight for those convicted of violating traffic rules while intoxicated and for particularly serious corruption crimes.
In order to enter the Armed Forces of Ukraine (and exclusively on contract), prisoners must write an application, pass the military medical commission, a mental state assessment, obtain permission from the court, and then appear at the territorial recruit center. The military unit itself will decide whether it is ready to mobilize the prisoner.
For desertion — from 5 to 10 years of imprisonment in addition to the unserved term of the previous sentence.
- In total, 6,101 convicts have already expressed their desire to join the ranks of the Armed Forces. Of them, 3 823 people have already left prisons for military exercises.
- At the beginning of July, the "Kharakternyky" battalion, consisting of convicts, appeared in Ukraine. He is part of the 24th Brigade named after King Danylo.