A plenary session of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, on Tuesday approved a new law allowing convicted criminals to serve in the Armed Forces during times of war, mobilization and martial law.

The law provides that citizens who have served their sentences, as well as those with a criminal record, established or not established, can henceforth be part of the Russian troops, which is accepted within the framework of war in Ukraine.

This new provision includes a number of exceptions, according to which persons convicted of serious and especially serious crimes, as well as espionage, hostage-taking and extremist crimes, cannot be recruited into Armed Forces of Russia.

The document, approved by the State Duma, also limits the conscription of persons who have committed crimes against the sexual inviolability of children, especially those who have raped minors or committed indecent acts against them.

Also Russian parliament also approved abbreviated sentences for citizens called up for military service by mobilization or who have entered into a contract with the Armed Forces during a period of martial law or martial law.

Last summer it was reported that Wagner Mercenary Group it recruited criminals from places of deprivation of liberty, and major criminals were released, according to the DPA agency, which indicates that the head of the group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, complained about this.