Ukrainian commanders to be able to directly select volunteer fighters, defense minister announces
Commanders of Ukrainian military units will now be able to directly select soldiers who enlist voluntarily, bypassing the standard process of going through enlistment offices, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Oct. 1.
Ukraine is undertaking a campaign to modernize military recruitment, aiming to streamline mobilization, combat corruption, and eliminate inefficient and harmful Soviet-era practices.
Under the new rules, those who enlist voluntarily into specific units can be recruited by commanders without having to go through the enlistment offices, known as territorial recruitment centers.
The centers have earned a reputation in Ukraine for malpractice and corruption.
The new system will allow for "high-quality recruiting," Umerov said. Commanders will be able to personally select volunteers, "taking into account their skills, experience, and aspirations."
"For every Ukrainian man and woman, this is a chance to find their place in the ranks of defenders, where their abilities will bring the greatest benefit," Umerov said.
Natalia Yermak
