In a rural penal colony in southeastern Ukraine, prisoners gathered under barbed wire to listen to a Ukrainian army recruiter offering them a chance at parole in exchange for joining the battle against Russia. The recruiter emphasized the importance of giving one’s all for the homeland, urging the prisoners to give 100-150% of themselves to the cause.
The war between Ukraine and Russia has been ongoing for more than two years, and Ukraine is currently facing severe shortages of personnel on the battlefield. In response, the country has expanded its recruitment efforts to include the prison population for the first time. Frontline commanders have openly stated that they are facing manpower shortages as Russia continues to build up forces in eastern Ukraine and advance westward.
As a result of these challenges, Ukrainian parliament approved a conscription mobilization bill, which has led to over 3,000 prisoners being released on parole and assigned to military units. According to Ukrainian Deputy Justice Minister Olena Vysotska, about 27,000 inmates could be eligible for the new program out of the total prison population of about 42,000 people. Many prisoners are motivated by the desire to return home as heroes and contribute to Ukraine’s defense efforts.
One prisoner who expressed his interest in taking up this offer is Ernest Volvach, a 27-year-old serving a two-year sentence for robbery in a penal colony in Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. While working in the kitchen of the penal colony, he stated that he wanted to do something for Ukraine since the beginning of the war and is eager to enlist now that he has been given this opportunity.
In conclusion, Ukraine is facing severe shortages of personnel on its battlefield after more than two years of fighting off Russian invasion. To address this issue, it has expanded its recruitment efforts by including its prison population for this first time. Over 3 thousand prisoners have already been released on parole and assigned
