Ukraine Set to Reform Conscription Practices Through Commercial Recruitment

In a bid to bolster its fighting capacity following nearly two years of war with Russia, the Ukrainian government is gearing up to revamp its conscription practices, as reported by The Guardian.

The proposed changes, slated for announcement this week, aim to introduce a more targeted conscription approach through collaboration with commercial recruitment companies.

“The mobilisation will become more flexible, those specialities that are required will be announced, and people will be volunteering for a concrete position. For example, they need welders or mechanics and so on,” said Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's security council.

"Some people are scared, scared to die, scared to shoot, but it doesn’t mean they can’t be involved in other activities … Now we have a new minister with a new approach," he added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, who recently appointed Rustem Umerov as the new defense minister, said on Friday he expects the ministry to present a comprehensive package of new mobilization policies in the coming week.

“The plan will be worked out and all the answers will be there – next week I will see this plan,” Zelensky told a news conference, without giving further details.

To implement the changes, the Ukrainian army will collaborate with two of the country's largest recruitment companies. A source in the Ministry of Defense confirmed that contracts with recruitment companies have already been signed, but did not provide any details.

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At the same time, as it was cited by the Defense Ministry earlier, on Nov. 13, the "Lobby X" is of the companies involved in the initiative.

The company features a user-friendly website featuring a comprehensive list of specialties and brigades available for service. Users can easily access this information on the front page, enabling them to explore and sign contracts for AFU service without the need to physically leave their computer.

The platform caters not only to those fully capable of active duty but also offers positions for individuals with specific skills, including drivers, cooks, and even veterinarians.

However, upon careful examination of the website, a correspondent from Kyiv Post observed that not all brigades within the Armed Forces of Ukraine are represented. This led to the conclusion that not each brigade is aware of this option, or some may not have had the opportunity to apply through the Lobby X platform.

The move comes as the Ukrainian military, faced with the exhaustion of existing forces and the necessity for additional personnel.

At the war's start, many Ukrainians volunteered patriotically and and repelled Moscow's initial advances. However, as the conflict continued, most willing fighters joined, and those at the front were often injured or tired.

To address shortages, the military started conscripting, even using force in some cases. Corruption scandals involving bribes for exemptions led to the dismissal of recruitment chiefs. Once drafted, recruits got brief training before going to the front.

Some men avoided conscription by hiding or paying $5,000 - $15,000for a fake medical report.

Despite recruitment challenges, speaking to The Guardian, Danilov downplayed the issue, attributing it to Russian propaganda exaggerating the problem.