Already 5,500 convicted Ukrainians have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Already 5,500 convicted individuals have joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

This information reports by the French newspaper Le Monde.

The article states that these conscripts have the same rights as other Ukrainian soldiers, except for the right to leave. Both military leadership and the soldiers themselves express concerns that some of the convicts may attempt to escape.

31-year-old Andriy Lipsky, who was serving a five-year sentence for metal theft at Correctional Facility No. 40 in Drohobych, reported that after completing training camp, he would join a special unit composed exclusively of other convicts who, like him, chose to take advantage of parole by joining the armed forces.

Half a month ago, The Washington Post reported a different figure: 2,750 Ukrainian convicts had signed contracts with the Armed Forces. This means that in two weeks, the number of mobilized inmates has doubled. Those granted parole include individuals convicted of drug trafficking, phone theft, armed assaults, and even murder.

Shortly before this, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska stated that he considers the commission of new crimes by mobilized convicts in the Armed Forces inevitable.