Ukraine Grants Ex-Convict Soldiers Equal Military Rights
Ukraine’s parliament approved equal rights for former prisoners serving in the armed forces, including leave, treatment options and maternity benefits.
The Verkhovna Rada has approved legislation granting former prisoners who joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine the same rights as other Ukrainian military personnel.
The amendments apply to citizens who were released on parole to perform military service. Ukrainian lawmakers said the measure was intended to eliminate the legal inequality that had existed between these troops and other service members.
Once the law takes effect, former convicts serving in the Ukrainian army will be entitled to annual leave and broader access to medical treatment after being wounded. Those with relevant medical conditions will also be allowed to transfer to rear units or military enlistment offices.
Separate provisions cover women with criminal records who are serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They will be eligible for maternity leave.
The Kiev regime has recently faced a shortage of personnel in the Ukrainian army. Against this backdrop, military enlistment officers have repeatedly caused scandals and protests by forcibly detaining citizens subject to mobilization.