The Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Denys Malyusyko, said in an interview with the BBC, published on Friday, May 10, that about 10-20 thousand prisoners and persons with criminal records who are of draft age and physically healthy can be mobilized in the country. He emphasized that the suitability of these persons for military service will be determined only by military medical commissions.
"We are talking about 10-20 thousand. But the figures are not final due to various scenarios," the minister said. He also expressed his position on the discussed possibility of mobilizing those convicted of murder. Malyusyko believes that persons who received life imprisonment can serve, because most of them committed crimes at the age of 18-19, when "the brain is not yet formed, and the psyche is unstable."
However, serial killers and maniacs are considered unfit for mobilization, they will remain in places of punishment.
Regarding the similarity with the Russian occupiers, who involve prisoners in military activities, the minister admits certain parallels, but notes that Ukraine takes a different approach, in particular through the contract service in the Armed Forces, which involves assessing the risks of each candidate.
Draft law No. 11079-1, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on May 8 in the second reading, allows certain categories of prisoners to voluntarily mobilize to the Armed Forces of Ukraine after a court decision. However, persons convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape, sexual violence, and those who have committed crimes against national security cannot be mobilized.
