In Ukraine, a new problem related to mobilization has appeared: people with disabilities are often fined for not showing up at territorial recruitment centers (TCC), despite having all the necessary documents confirming their disability. This situation causes concern among human rights defenders and lawyers, in particular due to insufficient understanding of the legislation.
As Roman Lykhachev, a lawyer at the Reception of the Ukrainian Helsinki Union for Human Rights, notes, disability does not automatically mean unfitness for military service. Changes made to the legislation on May 18, 2024 allow persons with disabilities to receive a postponement of mobilization, but this is possible only after passing the Military Medical Commission (MMC), not the Medical and Social Expert Commission (MSEK).
That is, if a person with a disability passes the VLK and is recognized as unfit for service, he is excluded from military registration, and questions from the TCC no longer arise. However, if a person is found fit after the VLK, they will remain on military registration and may continue to receive a deferment. In this case, she must update her data in the TCC.
The lawyer also advises those who cannot come to the TCC due to physical or other reasons to write an explanatory letter indicating the reasons for non-appearance. This will help avoid fines for not being on call.
