Ukrainian army chief unhappy with current conscription process
Ukraine’s army chief expressed frustration Tuesday with the current work of military conscription offices, in comments suggesting they should mobilize more soldiers to fight Russia.
According to Reuters, Valeri Zalouzhny held his first press conference on Tuesday since the start of the war, in February 2022, the day after the publication by the Ukrainian Parliament of a law intended to modify the military conscription program, in particular for lower the age of citizens who can be mobilized, to 25 years old instead of 27 years old.
The publication of this text caused controversy on social networks, a situation which apparently pushed the chief of staff, very rare on the public scene, to speak to the press in kyiv. “I am not currently satisfied with the job” military conscription offices, he said, before adding: “Otherwise we wouldn’t be here discussing this bill. »
Responding to a range of questions about the conflict, Zaluzhny also admitted that Ukrainian troops had retreated to the outskirts of Marinka, a town that “no longer exists”according to him, after months of bombing by the Russian army and combat in the locality of Dombass.
The reform of military conscription is a highly sensitive subject for a Ukrainian population that has become suspicious as the war has now lasted for almost two years, with no end in sight. President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that the army had proposed mobilizing an additional 450,000 to 500,000 personnel, without a decision being made.
Mr Zaluzhny said on Tuesday that this number was not a proposal from the army and that it was a project to be implemented gradually. He added that he would never have revealed the figure publicly, a comment likely to fuel rumors about political tensions with Mr. Zelensky.
Read also: War in Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky minimizes disagreements with his general staff
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Tensions between the chief of staff and the president came to light in November, when Valery Zaluzhny reported that the war was heading towards a stalemate due to the technological situation on the battlefield. . This was followed by a reprimand from the presidency in kyiv.
“I received a lot of criticism for these comments, but over time people will realize that I was completely right.”the chief of staff said on Tuesday, also saying that Ukraine and its allies have identified the answers to the majority of the problems he raised last month.