Ukraine to demobilize 30,000 soldiers, first since war began
President Volodymyr Zelensky has opted to demobilize certain soldiers for the first time since the onset of the war. Those who started their military service in 2021 will soon return home. This decision is expected to impact approximately 30,000 individuals.
11:56 AM EST, November 29, 2023
Following the full-scale aggression from Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has elected to demobilize some soldiers for the first time. Soldiers who began their compulsory military service in 2021 will soon be able to return home.
As estimated by Ukrainian media outlets, this decision will influence nearly 30,000 individuals, necessitating the Ukrainian army to find replacements for those at the war fronts with Russia. This represents a fresh strategy from Kyiv to address the issue of draft-age men fleeing abroad.
Protesting families of soldiers demand demobilization
Throughout the past few months, relatives of soldiers with the longest frontline service have protested in several Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. These family members are demanding demobilization for their husbands, fathers, and sons, who have been engaged in combat for over twenty months.
For the time being, only those who were conscripted for mandatory service prior to the Russian invasion will be returning home.
Large-scale mobilization already began in spring 2021
Between April and June of 2021, over 14,000 individuals were drafted into the military service, including the armed forces, National Guard, and Border Guard.
An additional 13,000 were drafted into military service in fall of that year. Their service was scheduled to end after 18 months, or after one year for those with higher education. However, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a state of war was declared and demobilization was suspended.
Proposed changes in the mobilization of Ukrainians
Kyiv is contemplating modifications to its military recruitment practices. According to "The Guardian", these changes may involve employing commercial recruitment companies.
- Some individuals are afraid – they are afraid of death, they are scared to fire weapons – but that doesn't mean they can't be involved in other activities. We now have a new minister with a new outlook - says Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine's Security Secretary. On Friday, Zelensky expressed his hope that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov's ministry will propose a set of new mobilization policies within the week.
