Up to 30% of Ukraine’s convicts may join Armed Forces — Justice Ministry

Deputy Minister of Justice Yevhen Pikalov stated this in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to him, over 8,300 convicts have already joined the Armed Forces, and another 1,000 applications are under review. Among them, 100 are women.

“If we talk about the potential of this initiative, our forecasts show that around 20–30% of all convicts in Ukraine might use this opportunity to defend the country,” Pikalov said.

He stressed that, given the ongoing Russian aggression, this would serve as an important reserve to strengthen Ukraine’s defense.

“We see this not only as a way to reinforce the ranks of defenders but also as a tool for resocialization through the highest form of civic responsibility. The Ministry of Justice and the State Penitentiary Service are keeping this process under close supervision to ensure transparency and fairness in reviewing each application,” the Deputy Minister added.

He noted that the total number of convicts and detainees in Ukraine is 37,000. However, not all of them meet the required health standards or fall under eligible criminal categories.

“For example, those convicted of terrorism, corruption, sex crimes, or crimes against national security cannot be admitted to the Armed Forces,” Pikalov said. “According to statistics, 57% were convicted of property crimes, and 11% for drug trafficking.”

• As a reminder, on May 17, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law allowing certain categories of convicts to be voluntarily mobilized into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• As of early April, more than 8,000 former convicts had already joined the Armed Forces. About 900 more applications were still under consideration.