Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has signed into law a bill overhauling army mobilisation rules.
The law will come into force on May 16, 2024.
It obliges men to update their draft data with the authorities, boosts payments to those who volunteer, and adds new punishment for draft dodging.
On April 11, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the bill on mobilization in the second reading. The decision was supported by 283 parliamentarians.
The legislators removed from the bill the provision on demobilization of the military after 36 months of service without additional decisions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff.
According to the document, the following groups of people are subject to mobilization only at will; persons with disabilities (for military service under a contract), persons released from captivity, persons under the age of 25 who have completed basic general military training or basic military service.
Discharged conscripts are transferred to the mobilization resource in accordance with the general rules (from the age of 25). Basic military service begins on September 1, 2025.
Citizens who are registered with the military may voluntarily create a personal electronic account of a conscript, person liable for military service or reservist.
All citizens of Ukraine who are registered with the military must clarify their information within 60 days of the law’s entry into force, address of residence, contact numbers, e-mail addresses and other personal data.
Russia has many more soldiers fighting in the war than Ukraine.
In the first weeks after the invasion, hundreds of thousands of ordinary Ukrainians volunteered to serve at the front in an explosion of patriotism that helped keep the country independent and fight off the initial attack.
More than two years later, however, many of those initial recruits are dead, wounded or simply exhausted, and the army needs new recruits to fill the ranks.
Ukraine Unable To Win Without U.S Support
Also on Tuesday, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that if the US Congress fails to vote on military aid for Ukraine, Ukraine will not be able to win the war against Russia.
In an interview, Zelenskyy was asked how the failure of the US Congress to pass the bill that would provide US$60 billion worth of military assistance to Ukraine would affect the situation on the front in Ukraine.
“I can tell you, frankly, without this support, we will have no chance of winning. You need to be much stronger than your enemy,” Zelenskyy replied.
He stressed that Russian forces have a significant advantage over Ukrainian forces in terms of the number of artillery shells at their disposal.
“Today, our artillery shell ratio is 1-10. Can we hold our ground? No. In any case, with these statistics, they will be pushing us back every day. To defend 100 percent of what’s in our control, we would need to go from one to comparing numbers, 10-10.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
He also said that Russia has “an unlimited number of people and a lot of shells,” which Ukraine has to withstand and repel.
“I hope they [the US Congress] are listening to us, and will make a decision in the nearest days or weeks, but not longer,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian President also revealed that Russian forces were able to destroy the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant (TPP) because Ukraine had completely run out of missiles to defend it.
Zelenskyy said that he does not understand why Western NATO allies downed Iranian missiles and drones flying towards Israel, but are not doing the same in Ukraine, in fear of dragging the alliance in a war with Russia.
“I want to ask you a question, is Israel part of NATO or not? Here is the answer. Israel is not a NATO country. The NATO allies, including NATO countries, have been defending Israel. They showed the Iranian forces that Israel was not alone. And this is a lesson.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
“This is a response to anyone on any continent who says you need to assist Ukraine very carefully so you don’t engage NATO countries in the war,” he added.
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