Zelensky Signs New Mobilization Bill Into Law

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday April 16 signed off on the mobilization draft law that Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada adopted on April 11, the parliament website announced.

Earlier in the day, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk signed the bill, before forwarding it to Zelensky, whose signature effectively brings the new law into force.

The move is meant to address Ukraine's urgent need for additional troops as the war with Russia entered its third year and has taken a heavy toll on the country's military resources.

The law establishes that all men aged 18-60 years are required to update their status either at military enlistment offices or through online accounts.

The law abolishes conscription and instead introduces basic military training – five months during peacetime, and three months during war – to avoid cases of underprepared men being sent to the front as cannon fodder.

It also provides for voluntary military recruitment, so Ukrainians who want to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will have the opportunity to choose the unit they will serve in, which is meant to enable soldiers with special skills, such as IT or languages, to be put to better use.

After three months of wrangling, most of the bill’s 4,300 amendments were rejected. In the days leading up to the vote, one major amendment – the right to demobilization after a prescribed period of 36-months – was rejected.

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Kyiv’s plans to draft an additional 160,000 troops by February are underway, though experts doubt they will hit the target, expecting closer to 100,000.

The law also provides for a range of sanctions against “evaders.” For example, Ukrainians living abroad will not be able to renew their passport or receive consular services without being in possession of military registration documents.

Citizens violating the rules of military registration during martial law can receive a fine from Hr.17,000 to Hr.25,500 ($400 to $600), and enterprises or government officials from Hr.34,000 to Hr.59,500 ($900 to $1,500).