Ukraine parliament, facing pressing need, passes military mobilization bill

April 11 (UPI) -- Ukraine's parliament Thursday passed a military mobilization bill to update the legal framework on conscription with goal of increasing military mobilization in 2024.

The vote was 283 for and 49 MPs from opposition parties abstaining. It was done independently of another piece of mobilization legislation lowering the draft age.

The mobilization bill gives the government more power to mobilize society for the war and to punish draft evaders. Local governments and police must also assist the military mobilization.

Under the bill all fighting-age men are required to have medical examinations and register with draft offices.

The bill will not let soldiers return to civilian life after three years of service as had previously been the case.

Ukraine's military has a pressing need to find more troops to replenish the combat ranks, build reserve forces and allow for current soldiers to rotate periodically off the front line of combat.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in December the military had asked for 450,000-500,000 new conscript soldiers to be mobilized.

The bill approved Thursday is a critical part of multiple efforts to deal with the need for greater military mobilization to defend Ukraine against the ongoing Russian invasion and occupation.

Earlier draft law provisions were passed separately by parliament, and signed by Zelensky in April.

On April 3, Zelensky signed a law lowering Ukraine's draft age from 27 to 25. It had been approved by the legislature in May but was left unsigned by Zelensky.

Other measures he signed created an electronic register for conscripts and did away with the country's "partially ineligible" draft status.

Ukrainian soldier Yehor Firsov posted on Facebook expressing discontent with the bill ending the ability of active duty soldiers to return home after three years.

"How long must a military man serve: 2,3,5,7 years?... Ambiguity is increasingly dividing the country and demotivating the military," Firsov wrote. "Ambiguity will encourage the military to feign illness, go rogue, and sabotage service. Delaying the adoption of these rules is a signal to the military that we are being fooled and used."

Ministry of Defense spokesman Dmytro Lazutkin said the military operational situation requires that for now, demobilization can't happen after three years.

"The norm on demobilization was initially present in the draft law. After 36 months," he said. "But for now there were wishes from the General Staff, which understands the operational situation, which understands the threats and risks facing the state."