The process of attracting prisoners to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is ongoing, and more than 8,500 former prisoners have joined the military in the last year from the beginning of the relevant law. About 1,500 applications are under consideration, the Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Yevhen Pikalov said in a comment for Ukrinform.
Pikalov noted that the mobilized among the convicts are fighting quite effectively, and among the combat units there is a great demand for this category of recruits.
Regarding criminal cases in which these persons served sentences, the official clarified: more than half of them were convicted of property crimes such as theft, robbery and robbery. Approximately 10% are for crimes related to drug trafficking and 6% for killings. The rest of the convicts had other criminal iniquities.
Thus, the mobilization of convicts not only replenishes the Armed Forces, but also demonstrates their combat capability, which is important in the context of the country's defense.