Former Defense Minister Proposes Solving the Problems of the Failed Mobilization by Relying on Women
21 August 10:06
Former Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov believes that military service in Ukraine should be mandatory for all citizens—both men and women.
He made these remarks in an interview with Radio Liberty on August 20 , responding to a question about possible changes to the mobilization system and a new social contract, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to Reznikov, Ukraine should look to the experience of countries facing similar security challenges. He cited Israel as an example, where women serve in the military on an equal footing with men.
The former minister stated that adopting such an approach could significantly increase the country’s mobilization potential. To achieve this, he believes, the Verkhovna Rada must amend the legislation and enshrine the principle that the duty to defend the state extends to all citizens.
“Gender equality means that women must also serve in the military. And then we will immediately double our mobilization resources. It’s clear that there are military positions and specialties that women can easily fill, and they wouldn’t have to go to the battlefield. They can fill many positions in the rear, in support roles, and then men can be redeployed from rear positions closer to the front… And here the question is whether society is ready to say that, like Israel, we can survive only if everyone believes that Ukraine must be defended,” said the former minister.
At the same time, he emphasized that change must begin not with coercion, but with an information campaign and the cultivation of public understanding of the need to defend the country together.
“If such a sentiment begins to dominate in society, the Verkhovna Rada will easily enter the session hall, press the buttons, and the measure will be approved,” Reznikov concluded.
He also stated that it was during his tenure as defense minister that standards for women’s military uniforms and body armor were approved.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
What Reznikov Is Known For as Minister
Oleksiy Reznikov headed the Ministry of Defense from November 2021 to September 2023, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced him with Rustem Umerov amid a scandal surrounding the procurement of food for the army at inflated prices —known as the “17 hryvnia eggs” scandal. The former minister himself was not formally charged, but in July 2025, law enforcement conducted searches at his home, seizing a phone and documents; Reznikov calls the corruption allegations from his time as minister “fake news.”
As a reminder, women in Ukraine are currently not subject to mandatory military service—only women with medical or pharmaceutical education are required to be registered for military service, while the rest may serve solely on a voluntary basis.
In March, the then-Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that there were 75,000 women in the military, more than 55,000 of whom were active-duty service members, and “their numbers are growing every year.” In 2025, there were over 70,000 women in the military, but nearly 20,000 of them held combat positions—more than 2.5 times fewer than in 2026.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
