More than 3,000 convicts have already applied to serve in the Armed Forces. This was reported by Deputy Minister of Justice Olena Vysotska during a telethon.

According to her, the ministry was expecting such a number.

“This is more than three thousand people. We predicted this before the adoption of this law. We cannot say that all 20 thousand people we mentioned as potential will join. Because in previous surveys, about 4,500 people expressed a desire. Now this figure will fluctuate...” Vysotska said.

She reminded that the law has a number of restrictions on those who can be mobilized to the Armed Forces. In particular, those convicted of serious crimes, such as the murder of two or more people, sexual crimes, crimes related to the assault on the life of law enforcement officers, terrorist crimes, crimes against the national security of Ukraine, etc. will not have this opportunity.

“That is, not all categories of convicts will be able to take advantage of this opportunity (to mobilize). This was done in order to protect the military from unnecessary problems with the category of convicts who are not ready to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the deputy minister said.

In addition, convicts may have socially dangerous diseases, such as: HIV, tuberculosis or hepatitis. That is why they were also excluded from the list of those who could join the ranks of the Armed Forces.