Ukrainian parliament passes bill on mobilization without demobilization

The parliamentarians removed from the document a provision that would have provided for the demobilization of soldiers after 36 months of service by the decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

A total of 227 MPs voted in favor of removing demobilization from the document. Then 283 MPs voted for the final adoption of the bill in this form.

The Ministry of Defense noted that demobilization was excluded from the government's draft law on the basis of a request from the General Staff of the Armed Forces, "which understands the operational situation, understands the threats and risks facing the state."

Instead, the government will develop a separate draft law on rotation and demobilization, but this could take up to eight months.

What exactly does the adopted draft law provide for?

Earlier, Honcharenko outlined the main provisions that made it to the second reading:

• the provision on the right to discharge from service for people with disabilities remains;
• there is a possibility of resigning from service after captivity;
• men recognized as partially fit will be required to undergo a re-examination within 12 months;
• those who received disability groups 2 and 3 after February 24, 2022 (except for military personnel) are subject to a second medical examination to determine their fitness for service;
• military personnel, in case of concluding the first contract, are entitled to compensation of 50% of the down payment on a loan secured by a mortgage;
• restriction of consular services for men aged 18 to 60 without military registration documents;
• it is also planned to restrict driving vehicles to persons liable for military service at the request of military commissariats.

The committee members also agreed to establish by law the payment of 4 to 300 times the subsistence minimum for destroyed (captured) weapons.

In addition, according to MP Iryna Friz, the "motivational package" for military personnel includes the following:

• the opportunity to choose a unit for those who sign a contract;
• additional leave and reward for the destruction or capture of enemy weapons or equipment;
• time spent on parental leave is included in the period of service in the military rank;
• annual basic leave is granted in parts during the calendar year, and the main continuous part will be at least 15 calendar days;
• service members and their spouses will not be charged interest on loans, penalties, fines for failure to fulfill obligations to banks and other organizations, but loans for cars and real estate will be an exception;
• the right to receive a certificate for the purchase of a vehicle in the amount of UAH 150,000 ($3,802) within three months from the date of the first contract;
• one month of service for three months for being directly in combat areas during martial law will be included in the length of service;
• in case of need for long-term treatment abroad, it will be possible to undergo a military medical commission remotely, and the relevant certificate of the military medical commission will be the basis for maintaining financial and material support;
• additional vacation of 90 calendar days without division into parts, if desired, after release from captivity with the preservation of financial support;
• the amount of one-time financial assistance in the event of the death of a soldier is set at 15 million ($380,240).

Friz added that "with certain safeguards, but without violating the rights of citizens," the standards for the care of persons with disabilities of groups 1-3 have been established.