05/24/2024 – Translated from Ukrainian via Google and OFP
Less than a week after President Zelensky signed
the law on the mobilization of convicts, Ukrainian courts began to consider the penitentiary service’s applications for parole. We already know about three thousand “inmates” who have expressed a desire to defend the country, and the process is gaining momentum.
Read more about this in the OBOZ.UA material.
What is the difference from the Russian “experience”
After May 17, when Vladimir Zelensky signed a law allowing convicts to fight at the front, Russian propagandists exploded with messages that Ukraine was allegedly copying the experience of the Russian Federation. But that’s not true.
In 2022, thousands of repeat offenders from Russia were recruited into the so-called Wagner PMC, and since February 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defense has taken over this matter. There weren’t many volunteers among them, mostly at the very beginning, and mostly they were brutal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles. All of them were pardoned by Putin, and if they managed to survive at the front, they returned home six months later. And in Russia there began a surge in grave and especially grave crimes committed by prisoners-“liberators”.
The law adopted in Ukraine provides for certain restrictions. The following categories of persons serving sentences or convicted persons cannot be accepted for military service:
– for crimes against the fundamentals of Ukraine’s national security;
– for the intentional murder of two or more people, or murder with extreme cruelty, or combined with rape or sexual violence;
– for crimes against sexual freedom and integrity;
– for crimes related to terrorism;
– for violating traffic rules while intoxicated, if it resulted in the death of several people;
– for murder or attempted murder of a law enforcement officer or military serviceman;
– for especially serious corruption crimes.
As we see, there will definitely not be any maniacs (unlike in Russia) in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is worth noting that those citizens who are currently serving their sentences can only be accepted into military service under a contract. Those who, by a court decision, are released from serving a sentence with a probationary period (i.e., conditionally convicted) are subject to mobilization.
The court made its first decisions
The Khmelnitsky City District Court became a pioneer in considering such cases . On May 21, he reviewed the first submissions from the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine institutions operating in the region regarding the parole of convicts from serving their sentences for military service.
On this day, two submissions were received from the Khmelnitsky pre-trial detention center – both convicts expressed a desire to do military service under a contract, Volunteers – young men, born in 2000 and 1981, residents of the villages of Khmelnytsky and Krasilovsky districts, even before the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian occupiers, they were convicted of theft (terms – 4 years and 9 months, 5 years and 5 months). The men are fit for military service for health reasons, have passed professional and psychological selection and have a sufficient level of physical fitness.
The court granted the petitions of the convicts and ordered the Khmelnitsky detention center to release them from serving their sentences on parole in order to perform military service under a contract, transfer them to units of the National Guard of Ukraine for delivery to the TCC and SP for concluding a contract.
The court also ordered administrative supervision over the men for a period of one year, but no longer than until their dismissal from military service. Such supervision will be carried out by the commanders of the military unit, under whom they will serve under contract. Among the restrictions is a ban on being outside the location of a military unit and traveling on personal business without the permission of the commander.
And on May 22, the Khmelnitsky City District Court considered another 50 applications for the parole of convicts – this time from the Raikovetsky correctional colony. It turned out that the administration of the penitentiary institution informed the convicts about the possibility of parole for military service under a contract in accordance with changes in legislation. After this, a significant number of men turned to the management of the institution with statements in which they expressed a desire to exercise this right.
Some of them wanted to serve and defend the country even when their cases were being considered in the courts, but at that time such an opportunity was not yet provided for by law.
The overwhelming number of volunteers from the Raikovetsky colony are young men, convicted mainly of property crimes (theft). During the court hearings, they said that they did not have special skills for military service, but they expressed confidence that they would be able to master them quite quickly.
“Many convicts pointed out during videoconferences that their relatives and friends died because of the war, including those who participated in the defense of Ukraine , which serves as additional motivation for them,” the court’s press service said.
What do the Armed Forces of Ukraine think about “recruits”
OBOZ.UA spoke with several officers of combat brigades about whether they have concerns about the service of convicts.
“I don’t think there will be any difficulties. But, of course, everything depends on each specific case. If a young guy is caught stealing and this is his first and only crime, then you shouldn’t give up on him. Especially if he did the right thing, a man’s choice is to go and defend the country. This is worthy of respect, and such people should be given a chance,” says one of the interlocutors.
Another officer is not so optimistic. “The administrative supervision that the court is talking about is, of course, good, but how it will be in practice is difficult to say. There is still a risk that a soldier from among those convicted will undergo training, receive a weapon, and then go on the run. Time will tell. But the main thing is that there will definitely not be convicted rapists and murderers in our ranks,” the officer shared.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice says that three thousand convicts have already written applications. And, apparently, this is just the beginning. However, today, no one can give final figures on how many such people can join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Approximate estimates vary from 10 to 30 thousand.
“…Russian propagandists exploded with messages that Ukraine was allegedly copying the experience of the Russian Federation. But that’s not true.”
Some people think that every convict should be allowed or forced to fight in the war. Although there are pros about this idea, one must consider the fact that the Ukrainian army is not a criminal gang like the ruskie one. Having violent criminals and other depraved individuals in its ranks would degrade the level of discipline and quality of fighting, and their brutal and debauched personality traits might infect other soldiers, who are already under a lot of physical and emotional strain. I think that the Ukrainian model is far superior to the mafia one, as usual.
“since February 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defense has taken over this matter. There weren’t many volunteers among them, mostly at the very beginning, and mostly they were brutal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles..”
Which is what 99% of the orc filth consists of.
Ukrainians on the other hand are humans.
That’s right. A cockroach is a cockroach, no matter if it wears prison garb or a uniform.