Over 12,000 former inmates join Ukrainian army – Justice Ministry
More than 12,000 former inmates have joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces under a 2024 law allowing certain categories of convicted persons to volunteer for military service after conditional early release, Deputy Justice Minister Yevhen Pikalov said.
In an interview with TIME France, Pikalov said that an active process of replenishing the army from penitentiary institutions is ongoing. He noted that since the beginning of 2026, nearly 1,500 applications from inmates have been reviewed each month, with the average age of applicants ranging from 30 to 35.
He acknowledged that victims of crimes committed by those who chose to join the army might have negative emotions, but stressed that during wartime decisions cannot be guided by emotions and that everyone must contribute to defending the country.
Pikalov said that primarily individuals convicted of non-serious crimes are eligible to participate in the program, while those convicted of crimes against national security or serious violent offenses are excluded. Final decisions are made individually following medical, psychological and physical assessments.
He added that after signing a contract, former inmates are required to serve for a period equivalent to the remainder of their sentence. If the war ends earlier and martial law is lifted, they would be released even if several years of their sentence remained.
According to him, only Ukrainian citizens are recruited under the program and participation is strictly voluntary.
Pikalov also noted that such servicemen are allowed to communicate freely with relatives via mobile phones, have internet access and receive standard military pay.
Most of them join assault units operating in the most intense areas of the front, performing particularly dangerous tasks, but undergo one to two months of intensive training before deployment.
