A pending presidential decree on partial mobilization does not stipulate a rotation of forces engaged in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Presidential Administration First Deputy Head Hennadiy Zubko said.
“The decree is being drawn up. First of all, there will be additional
recruitments. A rotation is not on the current agenda,” he said in a
program aired by Channel 5 on Monday night, July 21.
The situation in eastern Ukraine requires the involvement of
additional forces rather than a rotation of the available troops, Zubko
said.
“The situation in the east is such: we are practically mounting an
offensive and it would be a lie to say that we are planning a rotation,”
he stressed.
Zubko added they were considering a possibility to give some servicemen a break. A break of 10-15 days is possible, he said.
In turn, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary
Andriy Parubiy said the draft law “On Partial Mobilization” which had
been field with the Verkhovna Rada aimed to reinforce and rotate the
units which had spent much time on the frontline.
“It is not about a complete rotation, by the way, many [servicemen]
do not want a rotation, especially now, as we are on the offensive and
we are gaining control of new towns. We will reinforce those who have
spent more time on the frontline than others so that they could take
some rest and return to the front,” Parubiy said.
Men with relevant skills and military occupations will be recruited in the first turn to reinforce the operating units, he said.
As reported earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has lodged
with the Verkhovna Rada a bill endorsing his decree “On Partial
Mobilization”.
