Ukraine will not be able conduct a full-fledged conscription this spring

Photo: PHL

The National Security and Defense Council decided to renew the draft for compulsory military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and extend the term. However, there may be several obstacles for conscription next spring. Aside from the financial aspect, the law does not allow for renewal of the conscription next year.

Failed experience

On Saturday at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) a decision was made to renew the conscription in 2015. NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov stated that citizens between the ages of 20-27 will be subject to the compulsory military service. The term of service will be 18 months and for those with a higher education – 12 months. President Petro Poroshenko noted that this will ensure demobilization of military servicemen that were drafted a year or a year and a half ago.

“It is imperative that sending soldiers to serve in anti-terrorist operations (ATO) within the framework of the conscription be prohibited. This should ensure the training of a reserve of top-notch soldiers with the corresponding experience,” the press service of the president cited his words.

A source of Capital in the NSDC, who requested anonymity, stressed that conscription was never abolished in Ukraine. “The fact is that in October 2013 former president Viktor Yanukovych simply did not declare conscription. Now, the current president will issue a new decree declaring compulsory military service,” the source told the publication.

Noteworthy is that in the spring of 2013 7,500 new soldiers were drafted into the army. Incidentally, there was an attempt to conduct conscription this year. On May 1 Oleksandr Turchynov, who at the time was executing the duties of the president, signed a decree on expanding the defense capacity of the state. One of the clauses in the decree envisaged conscription in 2014. Acting Press Officer of the Headquarters of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Vladyslav Seleznev told Capital that the conscription was not conducted. He noted that the department is waiting for a document from the NSDC on the basis of which the plan for mobilization of the armed forces for 2015 will be determined.

“We heard only the desires of the NSDC, but a legal base that should specify our tasks in detail is required in order to take further actions. I can say that recruitment offices are currently working on defining the lists and ministerial commissions for those liable for military service,” Seleznev told the publication.

A source of Capital in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that contrary to the conscription declared by Turchynov, conducting it in the spring or the fall was not possible. The source says there is not sufficient financing for conducting a full-fledged conscription. For this reason, only teams of conscripts that ended up on reserve were formed this year. Further, specialists were selected among them that were required for partial mobilization.

“Naturally, soldiers must be accommodated somewhere, but we have no more vacant barracks. After transition to contract service, the property of military towns was plundered and demolished. After the army forces were downsized army recruitment offices were closed as they were simply useless. Today, 2,000 recruitment offices are required for a full-fledged conscription,” said the source. He added that with sufficient financing the property base can be brought into the proper condition only by the end of year.

Legal gaps

Aside from the financial problems, the law does not allow for renewal of the conscription next year. Pursuant to the law “On Compulsory Military Service”, the terms of conscription for the following year are defined by the decree of the president, which should be published in the mass media no later than one month before the end of the current year. In other words, information about the spring draft in 2015 should have been announced by the end of November.

Besides that, people’s deputies must now make amendments to this law in order to change the conscription age. According to the law currently in effect, the ages are 18-25, while the terms of compulsory service are 12 months for the Armed Services of Ukraine and 18 months for Marine Forces of Ukraine.

Chair of the VR Committee on National Security and Defense Serhiy Pashynskiy (member of the People’s Front) noted in a conversation with Capital that in the current legislation a whole host of inaccuracies that do not correspond to the tasks of the current situation for the defense capacity of the state have accumulated. He noted that work on optimizing the normative base is in process and the priority amendments will be adopted by the end of the current session of the Verkhovna Rada. “This conscription will not be high in number. First and foremost, it will be a reserve for the future army,” he concluded.