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Over 8,000 Former Prisoners Join Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Ministry of Justice Reports
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Ivan Khomenko")
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More than 8,000 former prisoners, both men and women, have joined the ranks of Ukraine’s Armed Forces as of early April, according to the Ministry of Justice. An additional 900 applications are currently under review.
The figures were confirmed by Yevhen Horobets, Head of the Department for the Execution of Criminal Penalties at the Ministry of Justice, in a comment to Ukrinform.
According to Horobets, the enlistment follows the adoption of a law in May 2024 that introduced a legal mechanism for the conditional early release of inmates for voluntary service in the defense sector. The first groups of such volunteers were deployed to combat units in August 2024.
Most of the conditionally released individuals have joined active-duty assault and security units, including the 1st Separate Assault Battalion “Da Vinci,” the 225th Separate Assault Regiment, the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, the 93rd Mechanized Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar,” the 95th Air Assault Brigade, and the 3rd Assault Brigade, among others.
“This program offers individuals an opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty to the country through military service,” Horobets stated. “Many of those who joined the Armed Forces have already been awarded state and departmental honors for their actions in combat.”
The Ministry works in close coordination with the command structures of units where former inmates are currently serving. According to Horobets, this cooperation helps assess the needs of front-line units and determine what skills and qualifications are currently in demand.
It also allows the Ministry to track the preparation process, including medical evaluations, military training timelines, and integration into units.
Deputy Commander of the 1st Assault Battalion named after Hero of Ukraine Dmytro Kotsiubailo, Dmytro Kulyk, confirmed that former inmates now serving in his unit have demonstrated a high level of motivation and combat performance. “Both men and women who joined us from the penitentiary system serve with exceptional commitment,” he said.
Kulyk added that the level of motivation among these recruits is comparable to that seen during the first months of the full-scale invasion. He also noted that his unit, along with the State Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine, is actively involved in recruiting former inmates.
The Department emphasized the importance of logistical and procedural support from penitentiary institutions, including organizing initial medical screenings, facilitating health checks in civilian hospitals, and conducting joint commissions involving representatives of Territorial Centers of Recruitment and units seeking to enlist former inmates.
Once a court decision is issued, the individual becomes a conditionally released person and an active member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the same rights and responsibilities as any other service member, except for a few minor legal limitations.
Earlier, in May 2024, Ukraine officially adopted a law allowing certain categories of convicted individuals to join the Armed Forces in exchange for conditional early release. The legislation excludes those convicted of crimes against national security, serious corruption offenses, rape, and multiple murders, as well as individuals with serious health conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, or hepatitis.
Eligible candidates must pass a military medical examination and receive approval from a military unit before a court can grant parole for service.
In July 2024, seven women serving prison sentences became the first female inmates to sign contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the law allowing parole in exchange for military service. According to Deputy Minister of Justice Olena Vysotska, the women passed medical evaluations and received approval to join specific Defense Forces units.
