Women can be mobilized after basic military training: what the new draft law provides for
3 December 2024 23:54
on December 3, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported draft law No. 12076, which allows women to register for military service and undergo basic military training at will. The law also provides for compulsory registration for women with medical education and changes the procedure for men’s registration. This step is part of the reform of military registration in Ukraine, but raises concerns about the possible mobilization of women who voluntarily undergo basic training, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
What the bill provides for
According to the document, women who are fit for service for health and age reasons and wish to undergo basic military training will be registered with the military before starting the training. Upon completion of the training, women discharged from military service will be considered liable for military service.
In addition, the draft law changes the procedure for registering male conscripts, in particular for persons aged 17.
The registration of conscriptswill now be conducted from January 1 to July 31 through the Unified State Register or in person at territorial recruitment centers.
According to the draft law, basic military training for men aged 18 to 25 will become mandatory from September 1, 2025, while it will be voluntary for women. The training will take place in military educational institutions and centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A separate provision of the law provides for mandatory registration for women with medical or pharmaceutical education. They can be called up for service or involved in defense work by voluntary consent in the event of martial law.
What the Rada says
MP Dmytro Razumkov criticized the initiative to mobilize women. He noted that the government has not created an effective system for mobilizing men and is now trying to extend mobilization to women.
Razumkov emphasized that women who decide to undergo basic military training can be mobilized:
“The government has failed to mobilize men properly, has not created an adequate recruitment system, and is now trying to extend the mobilization of women. Today, the Rada adopted in the first reading a very dangerous bill No. 12076. It stipulates that women who have completed basic military service will be registered as liable for military service. This means that any woman who has completed such service of her own free will can be mobilized!”
He also added that the authorities are trying to hide this point, hoping that society will not notice the changes that could affect thousands of women across the country.
“Understanding how the initiative to mobilize women will be perceived in society, the authorities have ‘hidden’ such a loophole in the draft law on ‘peculiarities of registering Ukrainian citizens for military service’, apparently thinking that no one will notice!” Razumkov said.
According to Razumkov, these changes could lead to the fact that women who voluntarily decided to improve their knowledge or acquire basic defense skills could be forced to perform their duty:
“And this rule could affect thousands of women across the country. Those who once decided to improve their knowledge, acquire basic defense skills, or simply contribute to the defense of the state on a voluntary basis. This can now turn into a duty!”
Dmytro Razumkov also emphasized that more than 68 thousand women are already serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and many of them are actively involved in combat operations. According to him, instead of creating a Ministry of Unity, the government is only contributing to the departure of Ukrainian women from the country.
“On the one hand, the government is creating a ‘Ministry of Unity’, but on the other hand, with its frankly harmful, subversive decisions, it is encouraging even more Ukrainian women to leave the country forever!” the MP summarized.
