Some philosophers said that life is a pendulum. From perfect peace brings us to aggression, and vice versa. A few years ago, few people were interested in what partial mobilization is. Yes, to be honest, universal too. But today, when in Ukraine one wave of draft is replaced by another, almost everyone has become interested in this topic.
Definition
For an accurate understanding of the question “what is partial mobilization” it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the text of the relevant Law of Ukraine. According to this document, the country's leadership should take a set of measures in the economy, government and self-government, in enterprises to transfer them to work under special conditions. In parallel, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will reformat their units in such a way as if the state had announced martial law.
Partial mobilization is fundamentally different from general mobilization. This is manifested in the fact that the former can be introduced in certain regions, its provisions can concern only one industry sector, military units not related to the Armed Forces, etc. While universal mobilization extends to everything without exceptions state regions and industrial sectors.
If it comes to partial mobilization, you should remember: usually it is carried out in several stages. At first, narrow specialists from the reserve are called up. Then, as the pace of conscription increases, the military enlistment offices expand the circle of potential military personnel, increasing age boundaries and expanding professional skills. At the last stage, general mobilization is announced.
Who is going to serve
Parents, of course, are most concerned about the issue of conscription into the ranks of the Armed Forces (how and who will be affected by partial mobilization, the age of the conscripts, their future fate, etc.). In accordance with the law, mobilization affects persons who have reached the age of 18 years. There is no upper age bar. Of course, it is clear that in the event of a real threat to the state, every citizen will rise to its defense. But until such a situation is observed, it is customary to assume that for a junior cadre the maximum draft age is 40 years; and for senior officers - 65.
Non-liable
The law on partial mobilization also provides for cases when a person, regardless of age, is deemed unsuitable for military service. These are the following categories of citizens:
- those who are considered unfit for health reasons for up to six months;
- women raising children under 16 years of age;
- men who support five or more minor children;
- women who are constantly engaged in caring for a person (if there is no one else to take care of him);
- citizens booked by public authorities.
The only controversial category in this case is the “reserved citizens”. Indeed, almost everyone understands that these are people's deputies, their relatives and assistants, etc. A very small percentage of specialists really needed by the state is protected by this article of the Law.
Procedure
Young people who have received summons from the military registration and enlistment office often do not know their future fate: will they be sent to the conflict zone or not, will their visit to the military registration and enlistment office be the last to be noted, or will they still return home before being called up for military service, etc.
So what is partial mobilization? And how to behave if you were drafted into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine? Mobilization is announced for a certain period (according to the Law of Ukraine, for 45 days). Each military registration and enlistment office receives its own task, for the solution of which people, equipment and other resources are mobilized. Having received the summons, it is necessary to come to the draft board and mark it, thus confirming your readiness to obey the law.
After the military registration and enlistment office, a medical board is appointed, which confirms the physical capabilities of a person. Only after inspection by the military commissar decides on exactly where to send a specific conscript.
According to established practice, at first everyone is trained in field camps, and only then they are sent to the place of prescription. This is especially important in cases where young people (or drafted women) have never previously been members of the Armed Forces.
After the established 45 days, demobilization should be announced. And all called ones return to their daily civilian life. But in Ukrainian practice, a presidential decree on partial mobilization extended the life of draftees. As a result, those called up for the first wave of mobilization (May-June 2014) returned to their families almost a year later.
Military specialties
And yet, how is partial mobilization going? Who will be called upon? It is worth noting that, in the first place, the sergeant staff is replenished at the expense of men with higher education who underwent full military training during their studies and received the corresponding ranks of military reserve officers. The Ukrainian government has promised not to call men just 18 years old and men without military training.
Ukrainians are drafted in accordance with the current needs of military units. First of all, this concerns the military registration specialties mobilized. Most often we are talking about motorized rifle units, paratroopers, mechanics of all categories.
In addition, the authorities call for service and volunteers. They are put forward only two requirements: excellent physical health and the necessary military specialty.
Control
What is partial mobilization in terms of monitoring the implementation of its “plans and tasks”? This is a ban on changing the place of residence for everyone, without exception, liable for military service. If such a need arises, you should inform the appropriate officer in the military enlistment office.
There is an article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for evading mobilization. It provides for a sentence of imprisonment of two to five years. In the most “easy” version, these are fines for various violations:
- 85-119 hryvnia for failure to appear on the agenda;
- UAH 17-51 - for violation of the law on mobilization;
- UAH 17-51 - for the deliberate destruction of a military card or registration certificate.
In fact, the entire control responsibility is assigned to local military registration and enlistment offices. If there is confirmed information about draft dodgers, they pass it on to the police. However, further procedures with the opening of a criminal case and a real conviction may drag on for quite some time. Therefore, it is impossible to get real numbers about how many cases have been opened and how many people have been convicted.
But besides a carrot, there is a carrot too: the place of work must be kept for those mobilized during the year. Students are guaranteed restoration at the institute, and those who pay a loan at the time of the call are promised not to impose sanctions for late payments.
Hot Spot Service
In the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, everyone who communicates with the public assures that partial mobilization does not mean the automatic sending of recruits to the anti-terrorist operation zone. Reassuring mothers and wives of conscripts, officials say that only well-trained specialists serve in the Donbas. It is difficult, of course, to say something about the real state of affairs, but it remains to believe in the rule of common sense.
As for the service at the place of registration, this rule is canceled. Draftees are sent to those units that are currently understaffed.
Social protection of draftees
Some innovations have appeared over this year. So, the country's leadership heard psychologists who last year talked about the "ATO syndrome" that occurs in those who returned from the war zone. Now all those who have served are offered a specially designed rehabilitation program aimed at restoring men in the roles of sons, husbands and fathers. The development of the doctrine of this social assistance is entrusted to the Cabinet of Ministers.
In addition to providing assistance to military personnel, the state undertakes to take care of the interests of their relatives and friends. In order to inform large-scale participants in hostilities and members of their families, information centers should be established. They will be the ones who will advise on military rights and state guarantees regarding military personnel and their families.
History reference
In 2013, compulsory conscription into the Armed Forces was canceled in Ukraine. During 2014, it was decided not to carry out the draft, except for the ranks of the internal troops. However, 2014 turned out to be very difficult for Ukraine, and in May the acting president signed a decree on partial mobilization. This was the beginning of the first wave. Until the end of the year, two more recruits to the ranks of the military were announced. By 2015, Ukraine approached in anticipation of news that the fourth partial mobilization was just around the corner. And so it happened: from January to March 2015 there was another wave of conscription into the ranks of the Armed Forces. According to the Ministry of Defense, it allowed to completely rotate the soldiers called up in the middle of last year.
