One third of those who agreed to serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces were sentenced for serious crimes: mobilization of prisoners continues in Ukraine

In Ukraine, the mobilization of prisoners continues. According to Deputy Minister of Justice Alena Vysotska, as of the end of July, 3,823 people have left the colonies to join the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).

According to sources in the Penitentiary Service of Ukraine, a third of those who agreed to serve in the AFU were convicted of serious crimes, including murder, banditry, and extortion.

The first wave of prisoner volunteers submitted applications immediately after the law on the service of convicts came into force and were quickly granted parole and signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense.

According to Oleksiy M., who was mobilized from a colony, former prisoners were transported under guard to training units.

“The military medical commission was conducted in the zone, and there we also signed contracts with the AFU. After signing, we were moved to a separate barrack. A day later, ‘buyers’ from the army arrived. We were loaded onto buses and transported under the guard of the National Guard to the training camp. Upon arrival, we were told that we were not entitled to leave or vacations—things that are granted to other soldiers. We live in a separate barrack but go to the common canteen to eat. There is a guarded perimeter around the training camp, but regular mobilized soldiers are on guard duty, so it’s possible to negotiate for money to go out at night for moonshine from the locals. The training is accelerated, lasting only thirty days. So, soon we will be sent to the front. There are about a hundred of us former prisoners here, many of whom participated in the ATO. There have already been two escapes—one was found and sent back to the zone with added time for desertion. The other is still being searched for. We are not allowed to go to the village for shopping, and we can be woken up at night for a drunkenness check. Parcels are brought to us by sergeants and are always inspected. Phones are also forbidden, but almost all of us have them. We hide them carefully, our experience from the zone helps—military instructors don’t know how things can be hidden. In general, a lot here is similar to the zone, but with better food and military training,” said former prisoner Oleksiy.

According to another ex-convict mobilized in the AFU, initially, their new superiors were clearly wary of the former prisoners.

“They expected riots, escapes, and knife fights from us. But our guys turned out to be much calmer than the regular mobilized soldiers. At least, there are no drunken fights among us. Not because we don’t drink, but because all our guys are experienced and drink quietly after lights out—getting booze for money is not a problem. We don’t bother anyone and behave quietly. But we drink alcohol rarely, more often we drink chifir. It’s not forbidden in the army. Meanwhile, the regular mobs in the neighboring barracks have drunken fights regularly. For our calmness and lack of incidents, the commanders and instructors respect us and treat us very politely,” said former prisoner Anton Sh.

Some of the former prisoners have already completed training and joined combat units. According to soldier V., the ex-prisoners were assigned to assault brigades. However, they did not create separate units like penal battalions within the brigades.

“I have already participated in two battles. Upon arrival, nine of us former prisoners were sent to a position. But not separately, together with regular soldiers. It was frustrating that the regular soldiers were rotated after a week, but we were ‘forgotten’.

We were rotated only after four out of nine of us were wounded, two of them severely. By the way, on the positions, we were openly told that if anyone tried to escape or surrender, they would be shot immediately. The sergeants watched us very closely. During rotation, we are not allowed to leave the location independently, we live in a separate area under the supervision of several sergeants,” said the former prisoner.