Following the passing of Ukraine’s May 17 law to allow certain categories of prisoners to volunteer to serve in the military it was assessed that up to 20,000 would be eligible.
  • redcalcium@lemmy.institute
    233·
    6 months ago

    Since both Russia and Ukraine now have prisoners in their military force, how likely it is to have an Ukrainian prisoner serving Russia fighting a Russian prisoner serving Ukraine in the battle field?

  • paddirn@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    6 months ago

    “Here is better than home, eh, sir? I mean, at home if you kill someone they arrest you, here they’ll give you a gun and show you what to do, sir. I mean, I killed fifteen of those buggers. Now, at home they’d hang me, here they’ll give me a fucking medal, sir."

  • Gigasser@lemmy.world
    12·
    6 months ago

    Huh I wonder if volunteer penal battalions are more effective than conscripted ones? And are these guys going to be used in combat roles or just supplemented labor roles i.e. digging trenches, camp cooks, etc?

  • Jayjader
    12·
    6 months ago

    Penal battalions vs penal battalions is not a sign the war is going “well” for anyone (except maybe if you can short the prison industrial complex)…

    • Gamma@beehaw.orgEnglish
      301·
      6 months ago

      Russia:

      Moscow’s version allowed serial killers, rapists, pedophiles and other serious criminals to receive a “get out of jail free card and, initially, a complete pardon after serving as little as six months on the front line. This was amended earlier in 2024 as the public outcry in Russia grew after several high profile violent crimes were committed by returning releasees.

      vs Ukraine:

      Ukraine has set limits on who could qualify. Only prisoners with fewer than three years left on their sentence can apply, with mobilized prisoners being granted parole rather than a pardon.

      Among those not eligible to serve are those found guilty of premeditated murder, rape, sexual violence or sexual crimes against minors, those involved in serious corruption, crimes against national security, and those who have held official office, including former MPs and ministers.

      Only a few hundred have been approved so far, out of the thousands that have applied

    • mean_bean279@lemmy.worldEnglish
      313·
      6 months ago

      Your country is most likely not at war. It’s easy to judge when you’re in a safe country.

          • iopq@lemmy.world
            52·
            6 months ago

            Damn, I was going to roast him, but there’s nothing left after this

        • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
          191·
          6 months ago

          If I was a country, I would simply not be at war. Then I wouldn’t have to pretend bad things are actually good when I do it.

          So when your country is invaded and your citizens killed by the invaders, you’ll do what exactly?

            • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
              201·
              6 months ago

              that my neighbor thinks I’m such an existential threat

              Your neighbor doesn’t actually believe that. They’re just using that as an excuse to invade you, claim your natural resources, and population for their own desires.

                • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
                  101·
                  6 months ago

                  Weird how they were happy to trade and provide loans to me before 2014.

                  You mean while Moscow’s puppet President Viktor Yanukovych was in power? Hmm, what ELSE happened in 2014? Oh yes! The people of Ukraine rose up with Euromaidan and kicked Yanukovych out. Yanukovych ran to Russia and soon after that Russia invaded Crimea.

        • mean_bean279@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          6 months ago

          Damn, you gonna put a “Mission Accomplished” sign too? It’s only that easy (I.E. Switzerland) when your neighbors aren’t trying to murder you.