Ukraine's parliament, in a nearly empty session, has passed a significant overhaul to its mobilization laws, amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia, requiring all Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60, both within the country and abroad, to register at military draft offices and imposing heavy fines for non-compliance. This move is part of a broader strategy to draft hundreds of thousands of citizens for the war effort, as Ukraine faces a critical shortage of fighting-age men after more than two years of intense conflict. The new legislation also eliminates the possibility of demobilization after 36 months of service, effectively barring long-serving soldiers from being discharged under normal circumstances. This has sparked a wave of criticism and concern among Ukrainians, with reports indicating a significant portion of the population is attempting to flee the country to avoid conscription. The law strengthens penalties for draft dodging and increases control over potential evaders, amid reports of serious difficulties in recruiting new soldiers. President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration, by lowering the draft age from 27 to 25, aims to address the manpower shortfall but has also unsettled many young Ukrainians now facing the prospect of compulsory military service. The Ukrainian army is described as 'less than half full', with an estimated '350,000 people needed to be mobilised' to meet military needs.
Thousands of Russian soldiers fleeing war in Ukraine have nowhere to go https://t.co/JdL6FWaTgB
Ukraine Passes Contested Draft Bill with No Limits on Wartime Military Service https://t.co/Kt8DUzMCBU
Kiev’s troops feel betrayed by new conscription rules – they cannot take holiday after 36 months, and have to stay in the army until they die. Kiev has not made public how many troops it intends to raise through the new measures. The Washington Post noted that the “unpopular”… https://t.co/1ld0gxRlGs
🇺🇦 - The Ukrainian army is 'less than half full', so '350,000 people need to be mobilised'. Ukrainian mass media quoted a statement by Nikolay Melnik, a lieutenant in the 47th brigade. Earlier, the Verkhovna Rada removed the provision on demobilisation after 36 months from the…
Thousands of Russian soldiers are fleeing the war in Ukraine but have nowhere to go https://t.co/paFe42V8rf
Zelensky said that mobilization in Ukraine is ongoing and will continue to occur. https://t.co/3oIFv8Blix
Ukraine is drafting their citizens as young as 25! Ukraine is running low on munitions & losing ground to Russia. How long before Ukraine is split in two like the Koreas? Should we continue to supply Ukraine with weapons?
EXPLAINER: Why the New #Mobilization Law Has Sparked Skepticism Ukraine’s new mobilization law is facing criticism – especially regarding demobilization. But with #US aid uncertain, #Ukraine needs its experienced soldiers for as long as possible. https://t.co/buDFLeRv4E
Growing numbers of Russian soldiers are trying to get out of the war in Ukraine, waiting for a welcome from the West that has never arrived. https://t.co/xmZCJ9amv1
63% of draft age Ukrainians don’t consider the possibility of going to the frontline, as per Suspilne poll. Only 20% do. Law-makers ditched the possibility of demobilisation in the newly adopted mobilisation law, so for many it sounds like a one-way road. https://t.co/8ZjZg4AWL4
The new Ukrainian law on mobilization caused a wave of criticism on social networks from soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ukraine has nevertheless adopted a controversial law on mobilization, which increases pressure on civilians and toughens penalties for those who… https://t.co/dEOHm1Ygxl
Ukraine passed the new conscription bill despite increasing danger of internal mutiny Lower conscription age and no demobilisation, among other rules https://t.co/w8cgobhaNL
The law on mobilization will strengthen control over draft dodgers and help the military leadership of Ukraine “As for the law, or one of the laws regarding changes in mobilization, that was voted in this morning, at the request of our troops and the military leadership, there… https://t.co/E9zA6Z0fH2
Thousands of Russian combatants are missing in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin’s war has left their searching families in limbo https://t.co/cqH58HUp4L 👇
After two years of war, Ukraine’s exhausted forces desperately need new recruits, but fighting-age men are in historically short supply. https://t.co/igRSEfwjVu https://t.co/J4BM15aU30
UKRAINE TO FORCE CONSCRIPT 500,000 MEN AND WOMEN INTO WAR AGAINST RUSSIA
Ukrainians are fleeing the country rather than fight, admits Sky News The Ukrainian Armed Forces are experiencing serious difficulties recruiting recruits. Many Ukrainians do not want to take up arms and use the services of smugglers who promise to take them out of the country,… https://t.co/MhLrEgxJ43
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy changed the fates of thousands of Ukrainian men when signing a law lowering the draft age to 25 from 27 this month. | via @nytimes https://t.co/PzxZ9JlJ4p
Ukraine’s new conscription law is unsettling many young Ukrainians who now face the prospect of going to war. https://t.co/KamAxYbKKd
To the last Ukrainian: Ukraine parliament has rubberstamped law on forces mobilization of Ukrainian men in Ukraine & abroad "literally within half an hour without discussion." This law requires all Ukrainian men 18 to 60 years old in Ukraine & abroad to register at military draft… https://t.co/IlP0kCxpa4
More than two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine lowered its draft age to 25 from 27. The New York Times spoke to men who could be affected by the change. https://t.co/ZpgQ0f0nqD
The roughly one million men who serve in Ukraine’s army are battered and exhausted. New recruits are desperately needed. But the country is running up against a critical demographic constraint long in the making: It has very few young men. https://t.co/vD7HvW8wGu
The roughly one million men who serve in Ukraine’s army are battered and exhausted. But the country is running up against a critical demographic constraint long in the making: It has very few young men. https://t.co/Y9Ax0sfPGQ
#BREAKING Ukraine parliament backs controversial army mobilisation bill, barring long-serving soldiers from being discharged: MPs https://t.co/YlegCHiDo0
🇺🇦 The Verkhovna Rada adopted in the second reading a bill on tightening mobilization as amended by the committee. Demobilization after 36 months of service is excluded. It means you can leave the Ukranian army in a body bag or a wheelchair only. https://t.co/n8UgyAjgtW
🚨🇺🇦 MASS MOBILIZATION: UKRAINE TO DRAFT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS Ukraine's Parliament has approved a draft resolution to recruit "hundreds of thousands" of citizens for the war effort. Russia has already drafted several hundred thousand new recruits recently. Both sides appear… https://t.co/tFLIDwIJSL
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a bill on mobilization. https://t.co/8s5VrhZ23V
#Ukraine’s parliament passes a bill overhauling mobilization rules that would enable Kyiv to call up more people, two senior lawmakers say. https://t.co/ZJOgRgixKA
These men were caught near the border with Romania trying to flee Ukraine. They are not the only ones who do not want to fight and are trying to avoid conscription
Illiberal autocracy at work: Nearly empty Ukrainian parliament rejects amendments to new Zelensky law on mobilization in order to rubberstamp it. This law requires all Ukrainian men 18 to 60 years old in Ukraine & abroad to register at military draft offices & imposes heavy fines… https://t.co/FPPnYpR3iH