On April 11, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on mobilization, which introduces significant changes to the system of conscription for military service. The law lowers the draft age, introduces electronic offices for those liable for military service, and replaces conscription with basic military training. It also stipulates conditions for conscription of women for military service.
The conditions of mobilization for women are that they can only be called up for military service with their own consent. However, all women with a medical or pharmaceutical education must be registered for military service. This includes female doctors aged 18 to 60 who are considered fit for military service due to their health. However, being registered for military service does not automatically mean that women are mobilized.
According to this law, women registered for military service may only be called up for military service voluntarily in the event of martial law. In peacetime, they may also choose military service or reserve service only by voluntarily concluding a contract.
Women with military registration specialties, according to the list approved by the Ministry of Defense, are not obliged to automatically register for military registration. They can also do so voluntarily. The law also takes into account gender equality in the military sector, ensuring that women have equal conditions with men regarding contract service, conscription and military service.
Regarding basic military service for women, according to the mobilization law, they can only do it voluntarily, under appropriate conditions. Just like men, women must be fit in health and be between the ages of 18 and 25. Both men and women have the opportunity to choose the year in which they will do basic military training.
Who is exempt from compulsory military service?
Women have the option of being exempted from military service in the event of pregnancy or parental leave after they have already entered it. In addition, the following are not subject to mobilization:
- wives, if both spouses are in military service and have a child under 18 years of age;
- women and men raising three or more children under the age of 18 (provided that there are no arrears in alimony for more than three months);
- persons raising a child under the age of 18, if the other parent has died, been deprived of parental rights, declared missing, or is in prison;
- guardians or adoptive parents caring for a disabled child under the age of 18, or if the child is an adult with a disability group I or II;
- adoptive parents caring for a child under 18 who was previously an orphan;
- persons whose husbands or wives have disabilities of group I or II;
- persons whose husbands or wives have a disability of group III, due to the loss of limbs, arms or legs, organs or due to oncology or mental disorders;
- persons whose parents have a disability of group I or II, or whose husband's or wife's parents have a disability of group I or II (if there are no other military personnel who can take care of them);
- in the event of death or disappearance of close relatives during the ATO or participation in hostilities during martial law;
- when close relatives were awarded the title of “Hero of Ukraine”.
Also, reserved employees, full-time undergraduate and graduate students, doctoral students, and interns are not eligible for conscription.
