The Ukrainian convicts swapping jail for the battlefield
14 hours ago Share Save James Waterhouse Ukraine correspondent in Zhytomyr Share Save
Matthew Goddard/BBC Andrii Andriichuk, a career criminal turned soldier, shows off his Knight's Cross medal, awarded for courage and bravery
At Penal Colony No. 4, there are no easy ways out. It's a medium security prison, but the thick iron gates and imposing white walls topped with barbed wire give it a more "maximum" feel. Inside are Andrii Askerov and Roman Chech: both convicted drug dealers who've managed to come up with early escape routes. They've successfully applied to join the ranks of the Ukrainian army. They will go through a month's training, and, in exchange for being released, will fight "until the war is over".
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