8,500 convicted individuals have joined Armed Forces of Ukraine, another 1,500 applications under review – Ministry of Justice
The process of enlisting convicted individuals into the Armed Forces of Ukraine is ongoing. As of May, 8,500 former inmates have already joined the Ukrainian army.
This was reported by Deputy Minister of Justice Yevhen Pikalov, according to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform.
"This process (of enlisting convicted individuals into the AFU – ed. note) is ongoing. According to the latest data, 8,500 convicts have joined the AFU within one year since the relevant law came into effect, and around 1,500 more applications are currently under review," the official stated.
According to him, those mobilized from among the convicted have been performing quite well in combat.
There is strong demand for recruiting this category of individuals among combat units, Pikalov noted.
He also outlined the types of crimes for which the convicted had been serving sentences: over half were imprisoned for property-related crimes — such as theft, robbery, and assault with intent to steal. Around 10% were convicted of drug-related offenses, approximately 6% for murder, and the remainder for various other crimes.
Mobilization of convicted persons
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on 17 May 2024, signed Law No. 11079-1, which allows certain categories of prisoners to be mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Only citizens previously convicted of non-serious offences may obtain conditional early release from punishment.
On 14 January 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the procedure for registering convicted persons for military service.
More than 8,000 former inmates — both men and women — have already joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
