Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday promulgated the law to mobilize more men in the face of Russia’s attacks, a controversial text, because it does not provide for a demobilization period for soldiers. According to a notice published on the website of the Rada, the Ukrainian Parliament, the text was submitted on Tuesday to the president who then signed it.
Ukraine, faced with a shortage of volunteer soldiers, had been working on this text for many months, punctuated by controversy after more than two years of war against the Russian invader which left tens of thousands dead. On April 11, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted this bill with 283 votes in favor.
This text, which notably increases the sanctions for those who resist, caused a scandal because of the last minute deletion of a clause providing for the demobilization of soldiers who had served 36 months, a hard blow for the soldiers who have been fighting on the front for more than of two years.
A weakened Ukrainian army
The authorities assured that the issue of demobilization would be settled by a separate law, but no date for its preparation and adoption has been set. The Ukrainian army, weakened by a failed counter-offensive in the summer of 2023 and dwindling Western aid, is trying to contain Russian assaults at multiple points on the front.
For this, it needs men and ammunition. Struggling to find volunteers, kyiv has just widened the mobilization, lowering the age of those called up from 27 to 25 years old. From now on, the sanctions for those trying to escape mobilization will be toughened. The text also facilitates enrollment procedures by creating a dedicated digital system.