Ukrainian lawmakers are considering new mobilization rules that threaten draft dodgers with heavy penalties and could lower the age of eligibility for conscription.
The draft bill was submitted to the Ukrainian parliament on Monday, with the full text released on Tuesday. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who added a legally required justification for why the changes are needed, claimed that the amendments would accommodate “a large number of citizens who wish to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
Should the 72-page bill be signed into law by President Vladimir Zelensky, a key change would be lowering the minimum mobilization age from 27 to 25.
Under a declared mobilization – which has been in force in Ukraine since hostilities with Russia erupted last year – eligible citizens would be obliged to report to conscription centers within 60 days for a medical examination, and to register in a state-run electronic service.