Sixth wave of mobilization in Ukraine fails

Mobilization in Ukraine has been suspended today after the sixth, last wave of mobilization scheduled for August 17, failed. The plan was fulfilled by 50% only. Eventually, only 13,000 out of the anticipated 25,000 people were drafted. Only one third of the potential soldiers of Ukraine’s Armed Force received a clean bill of health.

Experts say the wave of patriotism that was at the height in 2014 is fading away now. “When the country avoids fighting, it is not fair to demand that the people go to fight,” says Nikolay Sungurovski, the head of the military programs.

Military analysts say the only way out of the situation is a professional army. The Defense Ministry of Ukraine says additional waves of mobilization are possible. Neither experts nor the military believe that the sixth wave of mobilization will be the last one in the current year. 

Earlier EADaily reported Petro Mekhed, the deputy minister of defense, as saying that Ukraine’s Defense Ministry is ready to announce three more waves of mobilization, should the occasion so demand.

Every time when Ukraine announces conscription, many young men refuse to go to army. Dodging, including through migration, has become something very common in Ukraine. The authorities have toughened the punishment for dodging conscription up to imprisonment. In 2014, 139 were convicted in Ukraine for dodging. They plan to draft 100,000-150,000 people in 2015. On March 25, President Petro Poroshenko ordered increasing the army to 250,000 people.