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Ukraine to grant parole to prisoners who join army to fight against Russia

The Ukrainian parliament has approved a bill that would allow certain prisoners to join the armed forces, in response to a critical shortage of military personnel and Russia’s continued aggression on the battlefield.

This marks a significant shift in Ukraine’s stance on the matter, as the country had previously opposed the idea and criticised Russia for mobilizing prisoners to bolster its own forces.

To become law, the legislation would need to be signed by the chairperson of parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The bill would permit only certain categories of prisoners with less than three years left on their sentences to apply for voluntary mobilisation. Those found guilty of sexual violence, killing two or more people, serious corruption, and former high-ranking officials would not be eligible to serve.

Those who are mobilised would be granted parole instead of a pardon.

Russia has been recruiting prisoners to serve on the front lines since its invasion began in February 2022, initially offering presidential pardons for six months of service.

In response to the ongoing crisis, Ukraine has recently increased measures against military service draft dodgers and lowered the age at which men can be drafted from 27 to 25.

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Written by Olusesan Oba

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