Military Did Not Request that 500,000 Be Mobilized – Zaluzhny

In response to recent statements suggesting a potential mobilization of up to half a million people in Ukraine, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, said that the military command has not formally requested the mobilization.

“The military command has not made a single request [to the authorities] for any figures. The military command continues to perform the function of protecting the state and, accordingly, forms its requests for ammunition, weapons and human resources,” Zaluzhny stated during a national telethon.

“This is done on an ongoing basis, but we do not carry out [such requests] in some separate format by submitting it to the government or the Verkhovna Rada,” he added. 

Zaluzhny said that the suggested number, referring to the 450-500,000 people mentioned by President Zelensky during the end-of-year press conference, considers factors like current force levels, the creation of new military units, and projections for potential losses in 2024.

“As for this figure, we have formulated it for the next year, taking into account various factors. However, specific details regarding each indicator, including the number of mobilized, remain classified as a military secret,” he added.

The Commander-in-Chief said that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not entitled to propose legislative initiatives, so he did not submit any documents to the government.

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While confirming collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, Zaluzhny said that the Ministry may have proposed a bill to revise mobilization rules to the government.

Given the ongoing Russian invasion, the Ukrainian government is reevaluating mobilization and military registration rules.

A bill introduced to the Verkhovna Rada on Dec. 25 suggests changes such as lowering the draft age, clarifying exemptions from mobilization, outlining dismissal procedures for mobilized individuals, and introducing electronic summonses.

The bill also includes provisions for registering Ukrainians abroad and stricter measures against draft dodgers.