Under the new legislation, prisoners with less than three years remaining on their original sentences may seek conditional early release to participate directly in defending Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity, according to CNN.
However, the law excludes individuals convicted of the most serious crimes, including premeditated murders, rape, pedophilia, corruption, crimes against national security, and those holding high-ranking positions like MPs and ministers, according to a statement by the ruling "Servant of the People" party led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The decision by the Ukrainian parliament to amend the criminal code reflects the country's urgent need to bolster its manpower amidst Russian advances along the front lines and critical shortages of personnel and ammunition.
Russian forces have reportedly been recruiting prisoners since the early stages of the conflict, deploying them in intense battles and drawing accusations of treating them as expendable assets. However, this strategy has faced criticism within Russia itself, with many released prisoners re-offending and facing re-arrest.
Ukrainian authorities see this measure as a necessary step to counterbalance Russia's significant manpower advantage and maintain Ukrainian statehood amid the ongoing conflict.
"It is possible to withstand an all-out war against an enemy with more resources only by consolidating all forces. [This] is about our struggle and preservation of Ukrainian statehood," CNN quoted as saying Olena Shulyak, chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development, and Urban Planning.
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Source: CNN