Former Ukrainian ministers, MPs, and judges will be reportedly allowed to swap prison time for military service
Former top Ukrainian officials convicted of crimes will be allowed to apply for military service in exchange for parole, the Judicial and Law Newspaper reported on Friday, citing a government decree. Anyone who takes up take the offer will have to serve with “specialized units,” it added.
The measure expands a Ukrainian law adopted in May 2024 that allows convicts to join the military ranks instead of serving prison time. According to the decree cited by the media, former officials who occupied “sensitive positions” before their convictions can also now apply to join the army. The document also covers high-ranking officials in pre-trial detention and those under investigation. They can reportedly apply to serve as privates, sergeants, or even officers.
The list of “sensitive positions” includes government ministers and their deputies, as well as MPs and high-ranking judges. According to the decree, they will only be allowed to serve in specially reserved units. The Ukrainian media did not provide details about the units’ structure or their role on the battlefield. It is unclear if any of the former high-ranking public officials convicted in Ukraine have expressed willingness to take up the option.
Ukrainian law allows most convicts, including those found guilty of grave offenses, to apply for parole in exchange for military service. The few exceptions include anyone who has committed crimes against “the national security of Ukraine” and certain aggravated murder crimes, according to the media.
The Ukrainian media reported in November 2024, citing a source in the General Staff, that a total of 7,000 inmates had expressed “willingness” to join the army, and that more than 6,000 of them had already served with the military or were serving at that time.
Ukraine has faced challenges in replenishing its military forces, with its mobilization efforts hindered by widespread draft evasion, corruption, and desertion. The nation reduced the draft age from 27 to 25 last spring, streamlined the conscription process, and increased the authority of enlistment officers.
Kiev is also working on another conscription reform that would involve recruiting 18- to 25-year-olds who are currently exempt from the draft, AP reported on Friday, citing the Ukrainian presidential administration’s deputy head, Colonel Pavel Palisa.
Ukraine’s mobilization effort has grown increasingly violent and lawless over the course of the conflict with Russia, with numerous videos circulating online showing enlistment officers chasing potential recruits in the streets, fighting with them, and subjecting them to abuse.
To address troop shortages, the government recently introduced pardons for deserters willing to return to the front and eased penalties for soldiers who go AWOL.
