Two years of fighting
Ukraine releases conscripts from the front into the reserve
March 8, 2024, 9:31 a.m
For two years, many Ukrainian conscripts have been on the front lines fighting against Russian troops. Their relatives have been demanding that they get a break for a long time. Now Ukraine is allowing the soldiers who were drafted into military service before the invasion to return home.
Ukraine is releasing conscripts who were drafted before the start of Russia’s war of aggression from the armed forces this spring after more than two years of service at the front. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj signed a decree according to which the soldiers can be released into the reserve in April to May.
In the decree published in Kiev on Thursday evening, no figures were given as to how many soldiers were affected. Her military service was extended due to the start of the Russian war of aggression on February 24, 2022. Relatives have long been demanding that the recruits be given a break from fighting.
The dismissal of those doing military service had already been announced in Kiev in November. In February, Zelenskyj introduced a law on changing the length of compulsory military service and the demobilization of Ukrainian military servicemen fighting at the front in parliament – the Supreme Rada.
More rotation required
Now he signed the decree despite the ongoing Russian war of aggression. In the past, there have been repeated demonstrations by relatives of these conscripts who have called for greater rotation in order to give the fighters the opportunity to recover for a longer period of time.
Currently in Ukraine there is compulsory military service for men aged 20 and over. Typically the service lasts 18 months. However, you can only be sent to war missions from the age of 27 – unless you volunteer. Martial law and thus general mobilization have been in effect since the Russian invasion. In principle, men of military age between 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country. Unless they are deferred due to a disability, study or because they are fathers of large families or work in systemically relevant professions.