Like Russia, Ukraine Is Now Recruiting Soldiers From Prisons
SUMMARY
In a bid to bolster its military ranks, Ukraine is implementing a program to recruit inmates from prisons into its armed forces. Vitaliy Yatsenko, currently serving a five-year prison sentence for drug-related charges, will join the military this week as part of this initiative. The program, aimed at addressing the urgent need for additional troops amid mounting Russian offensives, offers convicts a chance for redemption by serving until the end of the war in exchange for their freedom. While historically, using convicts in wartime was not uncommon, Ukraine's approach includes restrictions on eligibility based on the nature of their crimes and does not expunge their criminal records post-service.
