The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with author, historian, and Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which mark the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, are one of the country’s biggest public events of the year. President of the Ukrainian Society of Switzerland Andrej Lushnycky who sheds some light on the things Putin would rather you didn’t know about World War II.
Washington’s involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources told Reuters.
The agreement, signed on April 30, establishes a joint investment fund between Kyiv and Washington and grants the U.S. special access to projects developing Ukraine's natural resources.
Ukrainian soldiers attend military training in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 5, 2023. (Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Cabinet of Ministers submitted an updated draft law on mobilization to Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 30. The updated bill sets out "transparent rules for the mobilization process, as well as necessary regulation of the rights of servicemen and conscripts."
The government originally submitted a bill on mobilization to parliament on Dec. 25, involving provisions on further conscription and restrictions on draft evaders. Lawmakers later returned the bill for a revision on Jan. 11 after weeks of public debate and controversy in Ukraine.
Previous versions of the law proposed, among other things, to restrict the rights of those who evade military registration and service. Such restrictions included a ban on traveling abroad and making transactions with movable and immovable property.
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said that such restrictions would contradict Ukraine's Constitution. Additionally, some officials pointed out that these provisions could create corruption risks.
The new version of the bill includes specific provisions on rest periods, mandatory military training for recruits, financial compensation, as well legal protections for registered servicemen traveling inside the country.
The bill also specifies clear terms of service for the period of martial law, service exemption for people with all levels of disability, as well as a two-month reprieve for volunteers before the start of service to "resolve personal issues and prepare for mobilization."
Additionally, servicemen will be granted annual leave in installments for up to 15 days during martial law. Servicemen released from captivity will be given an additional 90 days' leave before returning to the front if they are willing to.
Regarding military training, newly mobilized recruits will undergo mandatory military training for 2-3 months. The bill also proposes to abolish mandatory conscription for all citizens aged 18-24 and instead introduce five-month military training. However, citizens can choose when to undergo this training.
Finally, financial compensation for Ukrainian servicemen is set at a minimum of Hr 20,000 ($526). Additional remuneration for the period of martial law ranges between Hr 30,000 and 100,000 ($790-2,600).
Rachel Amran is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked on the Europe and Central Asia team of Human Rights Watch investigating war crimes in Ukraine. Rachel holds a master's degree in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Regional Studies from Columbia University.
Francis Farrell
