Prisoners swap cells for battlefield to bolster Ukraine’s army
Created by law to address the military’s personnel shortages, the Alcatraz Battalion is made up of recruits who have voluntarily exchanged incarceration for the frontlines
The uniforms make everyone equal. Officers like Valentyn and Arey, who command hundreds of men and boast exemplary military careers, and Mikhail, Garik, and Makhsud, who have all served time in prison for various crimes and are now members of Alcatraz, a very unusual battalion. It’s one of the regiments of the 93rd Kholodny Yar Mechanized Brigade and is made up exclusively of ex-convicts who have voluntarily traded prison for war to defend Ukraine, but also because they hope to clear their image.
