Ukraine is expanding its military recruiting to cope with battlefield shortages more than two years into fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion.

DNIPROPETROVSK REGION, Ukraine (AP) — At a rural penal colony in southeast Ukraine, several convicts stand assembled under barbed wire to hear an army recruiter offer them a shot at parole. In return, they must join the grueling fight against Russia.

“You can put an end to this and start a new life,” said the recruiter, a member of a volunteer assault battalion. “The main thing is your will, because you are going to defend the motherland. You won’t succeed at 50%, you have to give 100% of yourself, even 150%.”

Ukraine is expanding the draft to cope with acute battlefield shortages more than two years into fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion. And its recruiting efforts have turned, for the first time, to the country’s prison population.

    • @[email protected]English
      10•5 months ago

      It doesnt make sense. If you killed 2 people are you overqualified for the army or what?

      • @yokonzoEnglish
        31•5 months ago

        I think it means you’ve got a likely chance to kill again for personal means or even pleasure, single offenders are more likely to have killed for revenge or in self defence, I’m sure it’s more nuanced than that though