“Most of them have recently completed training,” he said.
“However, there are already wounded and deceased among them.”
The number of prisoners willing to be conscripted into the
Ukrainian forces has decreased, as the majority of motivated individuals have
already joined the service, Kostеnko said. Around five thousand prisoners total
are expected to get conscripted, he said.
Ukraine needs to create opportunities to conscript citizens
held in pre-trial detention centers to enlist even more
individuals, Kostеnko said.
Prisoner conscription in Ukraine
Deputy Minister of Justice Olena Vysotska said in May that 4,500
convicts had agreed to be released on parole by signing a contract for military
service.
The Ukrainian parliament passed bill No. 11079-1 in its
second reading on May 8, allowing certain categories of prisoners to be
conscripted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This can only occur after a court
decision and must be voluntary. Those convicted of grievous premeditated
murder, rape, sexual violence, crimes against national security, and similar
offenses cannot be conscripted.
The ruling Servant of the People party clarified that
convicted corrupt officials and people who held particularly responsible
positions, including MPs and ministers, will not be able to join the Ukrainian
Armed Forces.
Prisoners eligible for conscription must have no more than
three years left in their sentence.
David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People faction, said the potential conscription resource among prisoners in Ukraine is 15,000-20,000 people, but only a few thousand are expected to actually sign contracts.