Ukraine’s President is freeing prisoners with military experience to join the battle against invading Russians.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced today, Feb. 28, that Ukrainian prisoners with combat experience will be released from jail and allowed to serve their debt to society on the front lines of the conflict with Russia.

Zelensky said in a video address this morning that inmates will be able to “compensate for their guilt in the hottest spots”.

“Under martial law, Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to compensate for their guilt in the hottest spots of the conflict,” Zelensky said.

“We have taken a decision which is not easy from the moral point of view, but which is useful from the point of view of our defences.

“The key is now defence.”

Zelensky also made an appeal to the European Union to grant his country immediate membership in the face of the Russian assault.