“If they finish the game, they’ll have to lower the conscription age to 21” – General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The bill on " improving certain issues of mobilization, military registration, and military service ," which the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted to parliament, is completely one-sided and does not benefit either the military or Ukraine.
The former deputy commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Sergei Krivonos, stated this on the NewsRoom channel, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The authorities are once again trying to pretend that they have nothing to do with mobilization, and this should be done purely by the military. This once again shows that neither the president nor the people’s representatives read the law on mobilization.
And when certain levers are used there on society, it is for our own as it should be, for others it is law. These things are unpopular for this government, and it is not a fact, firstly, that this will be accepted, we have already had examples when the president vetoed the reduction of the age limit, and delaying the process is not good for our defense capability,” Krivonos warned.
According to him, the existing law on mobilization is already written quite soberly and efficiently, and there is no need to make changes to it.
“Is it possible to deprive the people’s representatives of the right to have a deferment from conscription. And perhaps make changes that people who have not served in the armed forces or other law enforcement agencies do not have the right to be elected as people's deputies, as for men, and to hold any government positions. This probably needs to be added.
But the majority of them, having never been in the army for a single day, will never accept this. Therefore, I consider the changes to the law that they propose exclusively as one-sided and not for the benefit of the military, not for the benefit of Ukraine,” the general added.
He emphasized that while Zelensky again decides whether to veto the reduction of the conscription age to 25 years in order to look “white and fluffy” in the eyes of the population, the country will lose precious time.
“He is trying to raise his ratings at the expense of people who fall within these age limits. Secondly, he will use this in the next races, it will be in his favor. However, you can play with such populist things until you have to lower the age limit not to 25, but to 23, and possibly to 21. Because time does not work in favor of Ukraine, time works against Ukraine,” Krivonos warned.
English version :: Read in English : "If they play themselves out, we'll have to lower the draft age to 21" – Ukrainian Armed Forces General