Ukrainians have the highest readiness to fight for their country among other European countries, at 62% of the population, according to a survey by the Sociological Group Rating conducted in 2023 together with Gallup International and published on April 23.
The move comes a week after Ukraine finally passed a hotly debated bill on mobilization as the country seeks to bolster its armed forces.
Ukraine's military needs younger men not only because they are physically fitter than older men but also because they can master technology used on the battlefield faster, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French YouTuber Hugo Travers in an interview published on April 21.
Ukraine's bill on mobilization has been signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the online portal of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on April 16.
Ukraine's bill on mobilization has been submitted to President Volodymyr Zelensky for signature, according to the online portal of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on April 16.
Season 2 Episode 14 is dedicated to Ukraine’s struggles with mobilization. Host Anastasiia Lapatina is joined by Kyiv Independent reporter Francis Farrell.
The planned rotation at the front continues, with "thousands" of Ukrainian soldiers released during the audit sent to combat units, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on April 12.
Key updates on April 11: * Russia launches large-scale attack across Ukraine, hitting energy infrastructure * Parliament passes mobilization bill in second reading * Mayor: Russia's war causes at least $2.9 billion in damages to Mykolaiv * Russian attack on Mykolaiv kills 4, injures 5 * Ground Forces: Heads of southern, eastern military commands
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed on April 11 the updated mobilization bill in its second reading, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said. The bill was supported by 283 lawmakers.
Key developments on April 10: * Parliament starts considering updated mobilization bill in 2nd reading * Germany delivers artillery shells, drones, armored vehicles to Ukraine * Russian attacks against Kharkiv, Odesa oblasts kill 7, including 2 children, injure 18 * Ukrainian military denies Russia gained foothold in Robotyne * UK government, BAE Systems sign agreements
Russia will attempt to recruit an additional 400,000 contract service personnel in 2024 to sustain its forces in Ukraine after severe losses in an all-out war, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry's intelligence report from April 10.
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed on April 10 in the first reading a bill permitting military service of citizens convicted of minor offenses, said lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko, one of the bill's authors.
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has begun the consideration of an updated mobilization bill in its second reading, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said on April 10.
The parliament's National Security and Defense Committee finished reviewing all the amendments to a mobilization bill and removed provisions on demobilization and rotation of military personnel, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said on April 9.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 9 that he ordered relevant ministries to introduce "updated, more fair" rules on exempting employees of "critically important" companies from military service.
"No matter how much help we get, how many weapons we have – we lack people," Ukraine's Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Pavliuk said.
The Odesa regional military enlistment office is looking into reports by local media of a 14-year-old boy detained by men in military uniforms, the office said on April 7. The men reportedly did not initially believe he was 14 but released him after seeing his passport.
In an April 6 interview with national broadcasters, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the 300,000 troops that Russia plans to mobilize by June wouldn't be the "final" draft.
Military enlistment offices will begin calling up citizens from the military register who have reached the age of 25 to provide personal data, undergo medical checks, and fill out relevant documents, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Force said.
Key developments on April 3: * Zelensky: Russia preparing to mobilize additional 300,000 troops by June * Ukraine, Finland sign long-term security agreement * Zelensky: Russia launched over 4,000 missiles, Shahed drones, guided aerial bombs on Ukraine in March * Military intelligence: Russia has roughly 200 Su-34, Su-35 jets, 7 A-50 planes
Russia is preparing to mobilize an additional 300,000 soldiers by June 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 3 in Kyiv during a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart, Alexander Stubb, Interfax-Ukraine reported.
Key developments on April 2: * Ukraine hits drone factory, oil refinery in Russia's Tatarstan * Zelensky signs several laws on mobilization, making younger men eligible for draft * Putin appoints new Black Sea Fleet commander * Russia's missile attack against Dnipro injures 18, including 5 children * Government allocates additional $144 million for fortifications
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed three laws introducing changes to mobilization, according to the website of Ukraine's parliament on April 2.
Most Ukrainians say they understand the motivation of those who try to avoid mobilization, according to a poll by Ukraine's Institute of Social and Political Psychology published on April 1. At the same time, almost 43% of respondents said they were ashamed of men who evade mobilization.
“(Russia) can highly likely continue to absorb losses and continue attacks aiming at wearing down Ukrainian forces,” the U.K. Defense Ministry said in its latest report.
Key developments on March 29: * Russian assault on Kharkiv can't be ruled out, chief commander says * Syrskyi: 500,000 mobilization figure 'significantly reduced' * Zelensky: Russia targets Kaniv, Dnister hydroelectric power plants overnight * Romania says it found possible drone fragments on its territory following Russian attack on Ukraine * Defense committee considers
The parliament's National Security and Defense Committee reviewed all the 4,269 amendments of a mobilization bill, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on March 29.
The draft law on mobilization, which is being amended by lawmakers, proposes to lower the enlistment age and introduce basic military training for adults, according to Ukraine's Defense Ministry.
Editor’s Note: Brian Bonner, the Kyiv Post’s chief editor from 2008-2021, is the host of Hromadske Radio’s podcast “Ukraine Calling.” This weekly English-language program, released on Fridays, can be found on Hromadske’s YouTube channel and website, as well as on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Google Podcasts,
"The idea of demobilization is being buried (in the parliament)," lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said on March 27.
"It seems to me that today there are no writers or non-writers, musicians or non-musicians — there are citizens of Ukraine who feel responsible for their country," he said.
The Russian Armed Forces will create two new combined arms armies, 14 divisions, and 16 brigades, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a meeting with other defense chiefs on March 20.
