Kharakternyky Battalion

The Kharakternyky Battalion is a Ukrainian penal battalion that was formed in 2024 after the Verkhovna Rada passed Registered draft law No. 11079 which allowed for the mobilization of convicts into the Ukrainian Army.

History
The battalion was formed in 2024 after a bill was passed and then signed into law by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky which allowed for the mobilization of convicts into the Ukrainian Army. Like with the Russian Storm-Z and Storm-V units, the Kharakternyky Battalion's members are recruited from prisons on the premise that successful service would result in a deduction of their sentence. The battalion was reported to have 400 to 800 members. The battalion is attached to the 24th Mechanized Brigade.