Nearly 350 prisoners have been released from custody to serve in the Ukrainian military after the new conscription law came into force.
This was announced by the Minister of Justice Denis Maliuska in an interview with the New York Times.
On May 8, Ukraine's parliament passed a bill allowing those convicted of certain crimes to serve in the army, paving the way for the voluntary mobilization of prisoners. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on May 17.
Earlier in May, Maliuska said Ukraine could add up to 20,000 convicts to its ranks, which would also help reduce overcrowding in Ukrainian prisons.
To date, the court system has received 4,300 applications and is already processing most of them.
People convicted of one count of murder can potentially be released if there are no aggravating circumstances.
The new law, which allows prisoners to serve in the military in exchange for the possibility of early release, is a response to the manpower shortage. With the war being fought as intensively as ever, the Ukrainian army is facing a growing need to replenish combat units, create reserves and allow existing soldiers to rotate to the front line.
The government has set a target of increasing mobilization efforts in 2024 and has pledged to change the approach to military recruitment by giving potential recruits more choice. /BGNES
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