Faced with a critical shortage of infantry on the front lines, Ukraine has adopted a controversial tactic: releasing convicted felons, including those jailed for serious crimes like drug dealing, armed assaults, and even murder, to enlist them in high-risk assault brigades, according to The Washington Post. Over 2,750 men have been released from Ukrainian prisons since the parliament approved a law in May authorizing certain convicts to join the military.
These former prisoners, seeking revenge against Russia or personal redemption, are trading their prison jumpsuits for Ukrainian army uniforms and deploying to the most dangerous combat zones. Senya Shcherbyna, 24, serving six years for drug dealing, expressed hope that this opportunity would allow him to "redeem myself and seem more useful to my society." However, Serhii Lytvynenko, who has served 11 years of a 14-year sentence for deadly assault, voiced concerns about potential mistreatment, saying, "We don't know right now if they're going to take you and just throw you in like meat."
The recruitment of criminals is a sign of Kyiv's struggle to replenish its forces, which have been depleted and exhausted after more than two years of virtually nonstop fighting against Russia's invasion. While Ukraine has approved a new mobilization law aimed at widening the draft pool, it has yet to yield enough new troops. As a result, the Ukrainian general staff is seeking able-bodied fighters wherever possible, including reassigning soldiers from rear positions to combat roles and recruiting from prisons.
Under the new law, the released convicts can be assigned only to assault brigades, which engage in face-to-face combat with Russian troops, reflecting Ukraine's urgent need for front-line infantry. Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, as quoted by The Washington Post, stated, "The motivation of our inmates is stronger than our ordinary soldiers. Their release is only one part of the motive. They want to protect their country and they want to turn the page."
The Post interviewed several newly released prisoners who have joined the military. Dmytro, 28, was sentenced to 4 and a half years for stealing a phone but lost his wife and two children in a Russian airstrike. Avenging their deaths motivates him to fight. Edward, 35, who was convicted of armed assault, said he had dreamed of joining the military as a young boy but fell into crime due to poverty.
While some commanders are eager to have the convicts in their ranks, others are skeptical, fearing potential disciplinary issues or desertion. One anonymous military official expressed concerns about disorder on the front line but acknowledged the need for manpower, stating, "No one has trust in this, but we need it."
Ukrainian officials insist the program is constitutional, ethical, and practical during wartime, given the thousands of fighting-age men sitting in prisons instead of filling crucial roles on the front. Unlike in Russia, where the recruitment of criminals was pioneered by the Wagner mercenary group, Ukraine's convicts will be recruited into the official military and receive the same benefits as regular soldiers.
