Ukraine prepares to expand recruitment for war against Russia

Ukraine is preparing to expand military recruitment conditions. The Rada (Parliament) is debating a legal initiative to change the rules for men entering combat proposed by Volodymyr Zelensky's government. The idea is to reduce the age to be called up to military service from 27 to 25, introduce more sanctions for those who evade conscription, and force Ukrainians abroad to have their military documents updated.

With Russia's war against Ukraine about to enter its third year and become a battle of attrition, President Zelensky announced a few weeks ago that the army had claimed up to half a million new recruits. Expanding the conditions of recruitment will allow thousands of men (women are not included in the mobilization) to receive a summons. The matter has sparked numerous criticisms and neither the Government nor the army want to assume, alone, the responsibility for doing so.

Ukraine is now divided into two: on the one hand, the territories closest to the fronts; and on the other, the rest of the country, where a certain normality has established itself that has caused a large part of the citizenry to lose the sense of existential urgency that surrounded the first year of war. Thus, the majority of Ukrainians who have not presented themselves no longer wish to go to fight at the front.

The new proposal to expand the mobilization seeks to somewhat level the Ukrainian forces with those of the Kremlin. Russia, a country of just over 143 million inhabitants – compared to 43 million Ukrainians, according to figures prior to the large-scale war and the exodus of refugees – launched a mobilization campaign in September 2022 which has since been followed waves. In addition, mercenary companies such as Wagner have been absorbed. A month ago, the Russian Ministry of Defense reformed the recruitment rules to remove a series of diseases as grounds for exemption and thus be able to expand the list of civilians it can call up.

Disagreement between Zelensky and Zaluzhni

The Government's measure has sparked controversy and another disagreement between the Ukrainian leader and the commander in chief of the Armed Forces, Valeri Zaluzhni, who urged the mobilization to be expanded, but criticized the putting a target figure on the table. The figures give clues to the casualties and also the potential of the army, he argued. Analysts put the number of people in the Ukrainian forces at one million, but that figure is from the first moments of the large-scale war.

Many soldiers who fight on the front have not taken leave for months, many explain. “We are tired, I think more people have to come, but I don't believe in doing things by force,” says Andrei, a soldier stationed in a brigade on the Kharkiv front. “This requires motivation. If not, it doesn't work. Another thing is that more people are also needed in positions of all kinds,” he adds. The recruitment and demobilization of those who have been fighting since the beginning of the large-scale war has also provoked unusual demonstrations by the wives and families of some of those soldiers who have been fighting for many months. Dozens of them meet every Saturday in the center of kyiv to demand that the rest “share that responsibility” too.

Under the current law, there is no maximum time to remain mobilized during martial law—decreed by Zelensky on the first day of war and which also prohibits, among other things, men of draft age from leaving the country. The new proposal outlines a maximum time of 36 months, although Zaluzhni has stressed that this demobilization will only be possible if there is no escalation on the battlefield and Ukraine has sufficient reserves.

The latest controversial cases of corruption detected in several people responsible for recruiting – they received large bribes to avoid the call and fudge the papers – also do not help to attract new recruits. The new regulation that the Rada is now debating – and which could undergo changes – states that recruitment offices will be able to send calls by email or other electronic platforms. Now they are sent to the last known address, although there are also (controversial) cases in which they have been delivered on the street.

The proposed decree also states that consular services require Ukrainians abroad to present their military documents in order to issue a passport or other procedures. In addition, those who evade conscription face prison sentences of up to five years and could lose any social benefits they have.

On the other hand, the White House reported on Thursday night that in the last two massive air strikes against Ukraine, Russia has used short-range ballistic missiles from North Korea. US National Security spokesman John Kirby described these weapons shipments, documented by Washington intelligence, as “a significant and worrying escalation.” Moscow and Pyongyang have denied that they have signed arms deals.

According to information from Washington, the Kremlin used one of those missiles in its attack a week ago. On Tuesday, in another massive attack aimed primarily at kyiv, the capital, and Kharkiv, in the east, Russia used “multiple” North Korean projectiles. The Kremlin also intends to acquire missiles from Iran, Kirby said. Tehran already supplies Moscow with military drones that it uses in large quantities in its attacks on Ukraine.

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