Registered draft law No. 11079 is a draft law that was passed in Ukraine on 8 May 2024 and then was later signed into law by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 17 May 2024 that allowed for the for the mobilization of convicts into the Ukrainian Army.[9][10][11][12][13]
| Date | 8 May 2024 – Present |
|---|---|
| Location | Ukraine |
| Type | Draft law |
| Cause | Russian invasion of Ukraine
|
| Organised by | Ukrainian Government |
| Mobilization plan | The Mobilization of convicts into the Ukrainian Army |
Background
editDuring the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, prisoners have volunteered for the Ukrainian Army in order to fight Russian and separatist forces. The International Legion was one of few military units that allowed criminals to join it's ranks prior to the draft law being written.[14] After high Ukrainain causualties during the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive, the Battle of Marinka, the Battle of Avdiivka, and other costly engagements, draft dodgers, and the lack of new volunteers in the Ukrainian Armed Forces culminated in a conscription crisis.[15][16][17]
Conditions
editThe draft law prohibits mobilization for individuals convicted of certain crimes such as: The murder of two or more people, rape, corruption, terrorism, and treason.[18][19][20] However, Ukrainian justice Minister Denys Maliuska specified that the approved draft law allows parole to people convicted of any degree of involuntary manslaughter.[18]
Mobilization
editAfter the law was passed by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said in an interview that 10,000 – 20,000 convicts could be recruited if the bill is signed into law.[21][22] Later, Maliuska said that "at least" 50,000 convicts could be mobilized.[23][24] The Ukrainian Ministry of Justice made a public statement claiming that about 27,000 convicts could be mobilized.[25] Deputy Justice Minister Olena Vysotska told Suspilne that at a minimum, 76,000 convicts could be recruited.[26] Per the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, over 3,000 convicts had applied to join the Ukrainian Army by 21 May 2024.[27] By 27 May 2024, the Kyiv Post reported that nearly 5,000 convicts had been mobilized and that another 20,000 were being assessed.[28] On 13 June 2024, CBC News interviewed Renat Temirgaliev, a 25 year old inmate who was convicted of murdering his boss over a payment dispute. He told CBC news that he and nearly 100 inmates were released early from a medium-security prison colony on the outskirts of Kyiv in order to be mobilized.[29] On 24 July 2024, the first female convicts were reported to have been mobilized.[30] Convicts that were mobilized would serve in separate penal units that would be classified as "assault units".[31][32][33][34][35] Like with the Russian Storm-Z and Storm-V units, Ukrainian convicts are recruited from prisons on the premise that successful service would result in a deduction of their sentence.[36][37][38] Unlike Storm-Z and Storm-V however, Ukrainian penal battalions have harsher penalties for desertion and unauthorized retreats. If a member of a Ukrainian penal battalion would attempt to desert or retreat without authorization, an additional 5 to 10 years would be added to their sentence.[39][40]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "UA Losses". ualosses.org.
- ^ "Ukraine taking heavy casualties 10 weeks into its counteroffensive". ABC News.
- ^ Lowe, Yohannes; Jones, Sam; Belam, Martin; Kurmelovs, Royce; Jones, Yohannes Lowe (now); Sam; Kurmelovs (earlier), Royce (June 14, 2023). "Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine taking significant casualties and making slow progress towards Russian defence, say western officials – as it happened". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Short on troops, Ukraine is freeing criminals to fight". The Washington Post.
- ^ Dubchak, Andriy. "Inmates To Infantry: Ukrainian Convicts Answer Kyiv's Call To Arms". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
- ^ "From Our Own Correspondent - Ukraine's Conscription Crisis - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "BBC Eye investigation: Nearly 20,000 men have fled Ukraine to avoid being drafted". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "For Ukrainians in Canada, new conscription rules increase pressure to fight". CBC News.
- ^ "The Latest in a Long Line: Ukraine's International Legion and a History of Foreign Fighters". Harvard International Review. 2 September 2022.
- ^ Dysa, Yuliia; Balmforth, Tom (8 May 2024). "Ukraine lawmakers back bill allowing some convicts to enlist in army". Reuters. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ "Ukraine moves to send convicts to the front line — minus the rapists and killers". Politico. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ Dysa, Yuliia; Balmforth, Tom (2024-05-08). "Ukraine lawmakers back bill allowing some convicts to enlist in army". Reuters.
- ^ "OPINION - Ukraine's soldier crisis a major challenge for country's defense".
- ^ "The Latest in a Long Line: Ukraine's International Legion and a History of Foreign Fighters". Harvard International Review. September 2, 2022.
- ^ Panasiuk, Kateryna (May 14, 2024). "Ukraine's Wartime Democrats Battle Conscription Crisis". CEPA.
- ^ "Thousands of Ukrainians go into hiding as Kyiv expands military draft: Report". WION. June 23, 2024.
- ^ "Ukraine urgently needs soldiers, but some men are desperate not to fight". NBC News. May 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Struck, Julia (May 9, 2024). "Ukraine Allows Convicts to Join Armed Forces". Kyiv Post.
- ^ "Ukrainian Parliament permits voluntary mobilisation of prisoners and determines who may not serve". Ukrainska Pravda.
- ^ "Ukraine's Zelenskyy signs law allowing some convicts to serve in the army". POLITICO. May 17, 2024.
- ^ "Ukraine could recruit up to 20,000 convicts into army, Justice Minister says". The Kyiv Independent. May 10, 2024.
- ^ "Ministry of Justice: Mobilization of convicts will allow 10 000 to 20 000 people to join the Defense Forces". babel.ua. May 10, 2024.
- ^ "Щонайменше 50 тисяч людей з судимістю можна було б мобілізувати - Малюська | УНН". unn.ua. August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Some of prisoners in Ukraine can join ranks of country's armed forces". www.1lurer.am. May 17, 2024.
- ^ Ярослав, Остафійчук (July 2, 2024). "Ministry of Justice announces the number of prisoners who received permission to be mobilised to the Armed Forces - Ukrainian Komersant".
- ^ "Mobilization of prisoners: the Ministry of Justice expects the draft law to be considered by the Verkhovna Rada as soon as possible | УНН". unn.ua. August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Justice Ministry: Over 3,000 Ukrainian convicts have applied to join military". The Kyiv Independent. May 21, 2024.
- ^ Post, Kyiv (May 27, 2024). "Nearly 5,000 Ukrainian Inmates Volunteer to Fight". Kyiv Post.
- ^ Stewart, Briar (2024-06-13). "These Ukrainian convicts say they'd rather fight than sit in prison". CBC News.
- ^ "Ministry of Justice: The first seven female prisoners signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine". babel.ua. July 24, 2024.
- ^ "Ukraine is releasing thousands of prisoners so they can join the fight against Russia". AP News. July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Ukraine releases thousands of prisoners so they can join fight against Russia". PBS News. July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Ukraine is releasing thousands of prisoners so they can join the fight against Russia". July 1, 2024.
- ^ Ярослав, Остафійчук (May 28, 2024). "Minister of Justice tells where mobilised prisoners will serve - Ukrainian Komersant".
- ^ Ярослав, Остафійчук (July 10, 2024). "'Characterisers': a battalion of ex-prisoners has appeared in the Ukrainian Armed Forces - Ukrainian Komersant".
- ^ "Мобілізація ув'язнених: до ВР подали законопроект | УНН". unn.ua. August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Отримали другий шанс: в Україні зʼявився батальйон "Характерники", який складається із засуджених".
- ^ "Video. Inmates to soldiers, Ukraine's mobilization of prisoners". euronews. July 1, 2024.
- ^ "The Ministry of Justice said that more than three thousand convicts have submitted statements of desire to serve in the army". babel.ua. May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Prisoners in Ukraine to be granted parole for military service as part of mobilization overhaul". WRAL.com. May 8, 2024.