Ukraine plans to launch “smart mobilization”: Fedorov tells what will change
Persons liable for military service will be able to choose the specialty to which they will be mobilized. Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, believes that in this case, men will be better motivated.
Ukraine is going to launch “smart mobilization,” which will allow conscripts to choose the specialty for which they will be mobilized. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
“We want to launch the so-called ‘smart mobilization’, when a person chooses – it’s not even about mobilization, a person chooses a specialty for which he or she wants to be mobilized, not under duress, but on his or her own. That is, a person has decided that he or she wants to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” said Mykhailo Fedorov.
According to him, the pilot will be launched for drone operators, and people will be able to choose whether they want to become a UAV operator or serve in a company of attack drones. In particular, these can be sappers, drivers, and others. As a result, a person will be able to see what kind of unit and company it is, what obligations and risks exist, and how the training will take place. He noted that the man who submitted the application, passed the recruiters’ tests and training, and is definitely going to be assigned to the company of attack drones, to the position for which he mobilized himself.
Mykhailo Fedorov emphasized that after the launch, it will be possible to understand how many people will mobilize on their own, how they will be selected, how they will serve, and what the quality of their service will be, how motivated they will be.
“This can be the first pilot, the first step to launch such conditional ‘smart mobilization,'” he said.
He noted that there are people who may want to be stormtroopers or hold other positions. However, they want to understand that they will be led by a professional person when they are in the trenches, with a drone overhead, armored vehicles nearby, and a leader who cares about their lives and has good situational awareness.
Fedorov believes that the pilot will include all the changes. In particular, there is no need to go to the military enlistment office, you just need to take an online test, come to the recruiter’s office, where they will explain once again where you can serve.
“After that, if you fit the characteristics, you go through training, where you not only learn the basics, but you are told what situational awareness is, professional battlefield experts who fly drones, where you have a different level of training, and after that you are already on the battlefield,” Fedorov said.
He is convinced that in this case, there will be a different quality of motivation, but this hypothesis needs to be tested first. Mr. Fedorov added that this is a matter of one or two months at most.
As a reminder, Tetiana Kozian, a lawyer of the military law practice at Prikhodko & Partners Law Firm, said that in accordance with the law, it is possible to officially refuse the summons. However, this can only be done in certain cases.
Lawyer Rostyslav Kravets said that sometimes men who have a deferral from military service can be called up for military service. According to him, sometimes representatives of the TCC and JV can mislead men with armor or reasons for deferment and mobilize them.
