Putin signs law granting immunity to criminal defendants who join the army

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law Wednesday that will allow criminal defendants to skip prosecution and potential prison time if they enlist in the army.

The bill was originally approved by the Russian Supreme Court and Parliament before Putin stamped the measure, which could potentially place 20,000 new soldiers on the front lines in the war against Ukraine, according to reporting from the Russian independent outlet Important Stories. 

“Of the approximately 60,000 accused persons, 40 percent are expected to be ‘recruited,’” a Russian Defense Ministry official told reporters.

Individuals seeking immunity must sign a contract to join Russia’s invading forces in Ukraine, in what the Kremlin calls its “special military operation.”

Since early in the war, Russia has recruited convicted prisoners or those under investigation to join the armed forces. The Washington Post has reported on instances of previously imprisoned soldiers serving on the battlefield and returning home only to reoffend.

Putin has continually expanded what was already among the largest armies in the world. Last month, he ordered the regular size of the Russian army to be increased by 180,000 troops to a total of 1.5 million, which would make it second only to China.

The move, which will take effect on Dec. 1, was the third time Putin expanded the army’s size since launching Russia’s war on Ukraine in February 2022.