The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved the draft law on mobilization in the second and final reading. The document was reportedly voted for by 283 MPs, representatives of the ruling Servant of the People party and a number of other factions. The opposition European Solidarity and Batkivshchyna did not support it. For the adoption of the document, which had been discussed in the Rada since December last year, 226 votes were needed.
At the last moment, the provision on demobilization after three years of service was excluded from the bill. It is reported that this was requested by the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. A separate bill should be drafted on demobilization.
In the last two days, the Verkhovna Rada considered almost 4000 amendments to the bill. In the end, all the norms insisted on by the government were adopted.
The document is expected to be signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky. It will come into force a month after that.
Representatives of the Ukrainian authorities and military commanders said that the bill was necessary to ensure that all persons liable for military service are registered, to clearly specify the cases of possible deferrals and reservations from mobilization, and to mobilize enough people to replenish the army, which suffered losses during the war with Russia.
It was reported that the AFU command insisted on conscription of up to 500,000 people. Subsequently, representatives of the Ukrainian authorities stated about a smaller number of alleged conscripts.
