After an initial outpouring of patriotism in the months following the start of the Russian invasion, the reality of the battlefield – and mobilization – has largely sunk in among Ukraine's population.
Heavy casualties and nearly two years of bitter trench warfare have sparked a fierce debate over the future of conscription, an increasingly relevant issue as the army struggles to fill its ranks.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned last month that the military planned to mobilize up to half a million people to fight the roughly 600,000 Russian soldiers stationed in Ukraine.
But he said he would have to listen to “more arguments” before making a decision, given how sensitive the issue is in a nation exhausted by fighting and a faltering counteroffensive last summer.
Ukraine, which has around 850,000 soldiers in its ranks, does not disclose any losses or the number of soldiers deployed to the front.
Nevertheless, the military sector of Ukrainian cemeteries continues to grow.
The latest U.S. estimates, published by The New York Times in August, put the death toll at nearly 70,000 and the injury toll at up to 120,000.
– Reduction in age –
The patriotic momentum of the first few months, when Ukrainians voluntarily went to the front en masse, is no longer there.
Reports of men desperately trying to avoid the draft are increasingly appearing in the Ukrainian media.
In December, the government submitted a draft law to Parliament that reduced the military seniority from 27 to 25 years and simplified the enlistment process.
But while the bill shortened compulsory military service from an indefinite period to 36 months, it also introduced new penalties for conscientious objectors, such as restrictions on driver's licenses.
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, warned that the ever-increasing penalties were a problem.
“We cannot get to the point where by fighting Russia we become something like Russia, where the laws no longer work and the Constitution is just a piece of paper,” he said.
The move has proven controversial.
“I personally am against harsh punishments such as confiscation of property,” 42-year-old resident Olena told AFP.
After a strong backlash, several lawmakers and the presidency assured that the text would be discussed and amended.
A parliamentary defense committee, attended by Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, began considering the draft behind closed doors on Thursday.
– “War is for the poor” –
The proposed changes to the draft sparked an outcry on social media, with many ideas circulating about how best to handle mobilization.
Ruling party MP Mariana Polsterla proposed exempting people from mobilization in exchange for a significant donation to the budget.
“And those who have no money should croak in the trenches and let their children become orphans…” one person commented on the MP’s Facebook page.
“War is for the poor,” said another.
Former Economy Minister Tymofy Mylovanov put forward the idea of a draft lottery reminiscent of the Vietnam War, in which the United States government randomly selected birthdays.
“The state randomly selects a day and a month. People born on these days will be mobilized,” he suggested.
“A madhouse,” replied well-known lawyer and activist Larysa Denysenko, describing the proposals as “absolutely harmful.”
There were also calls for troop rotation and for the demobilization of those who had been at the front for a long time.
“If it is about national security, then all people, all citizens should participate,” said Lyudmyla, a 50-year-old teacher.
“My husband has been at war since February 28,” she told AFP. “My son-in-law is at war. Why should some people fight and others not?” she asked.
Others want measures to encourage Ukrainians abroad to return home and fight.
“There can be no justice in this reality of carnage,” said writer Artem Chekh, who joined the army as a volunteer.
“If plumbers and clerks do not join the army, the enemy army will come for the same plumbers and clerks,” he warned.
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