The word “mobilization” a couple of months ago was associated with the definition of “gather strength to solve some vital problems”. Today, during the hostilities in the eastern regions of Ukraine, this word is increasingly perceived as "conscription." What is the partial mobilization announced in Ukraine? Who will have to remember again how to hold weapons and live in barracks? Will they call eighteen-year-old boys and send them to the places of war? Let's try to figure it out.
The concept of mobilization of the armed forces of the state
The mobilization of troops, announced in March 2014 by the interim government of Ukraine, alerted not only wives and mothers. We get an idea of ​​this from films about World War II, in which all the mobilized went to the front. And it does not matter if you know how to hold a weapon in your hands or not.
What is mobilization in modern conditions? First of all, this is the transfer of the entire country's economy to the regime of satisfying the needs of the military-industrial complex (military-industrial complex). That is, there is a redistribution of the state budget in favor of spending on the needs of the military. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted to change the structure of the state budget of Ukraine and allocated almost seven billion hryvnias to the initial needs of the military. In part, these funds should be used to organize mobilized training.
In addition, a number of industries are starting to produce the necessary goods during the war. And most importantly: military-liable citizens become “under arms”.
Possible options
The law on mobilization distinguishes two concepts: partial and complete mobilization of the population. Complete involves the widespread reorientation of all industries to the production of goods and services necessary during active hostilities. In addition, in such a situation, all military men and women are called up to the armed forces of the country without any exceptions. Those people who are not liable for military service are called upon as necessary. But the entire civilian population ultimately works for the military-industrial complex.
What is partial mobilization? This is a temporary filling of vacant places in the armed forces with conscripts from among civilian, but military-liable men. In addition, this is the allocation of additional funds from the state budget for the maintenance of newly arrived military personnel and primary military needs.
Features of the call
Partial mobilization is announced by the president of the state (in the case of Ukraine in 2014, when there was no acting president in the country, an acting decree on mobilization was signed ). It is assumed that this process takes place in four stages.
Who is to be mobilized in the first stage? At the very beginning, it was a question of replenishing the personnel of the Ukrainian army with volunteers who turned to the military commissariats. When the military units, after the arrival of fresh forces, still remained understaffed, the military enlistment offices compiled lists of those liable for military service who had previously undergone military training, that is, from recruits of previous years.
Of course, not everyone is called upon. The emphasis is on the military specialization of potential recruits. The fact that such a partial mobilization can be judged by the practice of its implementation in Ukraine. Beginning in mid-March 2014, servicemen of the following specialties were called up to the ranks of the Ukrainian army for 45 days: rocket launchers, signalmen and foot soldiers. Mostly candidates were selected for the former military and those who served in the military in the 90s.
Subsequent steps
The mobilization of troops in Ukraine may proceed to the second stage. In May 2014, officers and sergeants of all military branches under the age of forty-five years, forty-year-old rank-and-file officers and senior officers who had not crossed the age of sixty already received instructions to report to the gathering places.
During the third stage, army mobilization involves replenishment of units with conscripts and women liable for military service. These are military doctors and diversified technical specialists.
In the final stage (in the case of a protracted warfare throughout the country), all residents of the state, capable of holding weapons or being useful in the rear and at the front, are called on to replenish the armed forces.
Recruits Age
The mobilization of troops in Ukraine, announced in March 2014, involves the call of volunteers and those liable for military service who are under the age of 40-45. A fortieth-year milestone was established for ordinary soldiers of all military branches, and a forty-five-year milestone was established for officers and sergeants of the reserve of demanded specialties.
The leadership of the state separately emphasized that the age of the mobilized first wave is thirty to forty years. Eighteen-year-old recruits will not only not be drafted, but also if they voluntarily enter the service, they will not be sent to the most dangerous places. Nevertheless, by decree of the acting president of Ukraine in May 2014, the compulsory draft of young men in the army was resumed.
How to explain to bosses at work the reason for their long absence
In this situation, managers at all levels of enterprises of all forms of ownership should understand what partial mobilization is. According to Ukrainian law, a person who is mobilized into the armed forces is unconditionally assigned his job (position) while retaining his salary. The enterprise can neither dismiss, nor even temporarily take in its place a new employee. However, in practice, these rules of law are respected only in state institutions. Commercial structures cannot afford to pay for such a long absence of an employee. Therefore, in most cases, a new person is taken in place of the mobilized. Thus, after the announcement of the demobilization, many men may be left without work and without a livelihood. Looking back at the age of mobilization, we can safely say that the families of those called up to replenish the army will find themselves in difficult conditions.
Who is exempted from the call?
Of course, there is a list of persons not subject to mobilization:
- Men who bring up more than five children.
- Women who raise children under the age of sixteen.
- Persons of both sexes who care for the sick and weak and who have no one to pass custody of.
- Duty-bound, whose health condition is recognized unsuitable for military service for a period of six months.
- Duty-bound, caught in the reservation of government agencies.
- People's Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
A representative of any of these categories who volunteered to join the armed forces may be enlisted in a military unit.
Fines and penalties
After clarification of what partial mobilization is, it should be noted that for failure to comply with the requirements of the military registration and enlistment offices there is a system of punishments. We will examine in more detail the violations and fines. Formally, we can talk about only one crime: evading mobilization. All other violations related to unwillingness to serve in the military forces of the state are derivatives of evasion. The Criminal Code of Ukraine spells out responsibility for evading mobilization (Article 336): imprisonment for a term of two to five years. Other offenses are punishable by administrative liability and fines. For failure to appear on the mobilization agenda, the fine is 85-119 hryvnias; for intentional damage (loss, disappearance) of a military card or registration certificate - 17-51 hryvnia; for other violations of the law on mobilization - 17-51 hryvnia.
Is it possible to leave
Mobilization in Russia, as well as in Ukraine, implies that all military-liable citizens of the state will not change their place of residence or evade conscription. True, we are talking only about those who have already received a summons; all the rest, as they say, are clean before the law and are free to move around as they please.
All selected candidates must appear at the scheduled time at the meeting place, which is also specified in the agenda sent by mail or in person. It should be noted that the order to appear at the meeting place for each mobilized person is sent in writing. We are not talking about any telephone or other verbal alerts. It is illegal.
Where mobilized
Of course, as soon as we hear the word "mobilization", the front line and the practically untrained "newcomers" immediately appear. There is no such. After distribution, according to data on military specialties, all recruits get to training camps.
Most often they are equipped on the basis of military units. It is assumed that during the training camp, the skills of communicating with weapons that have already been lost will be renewed and technical innovations will be introduced. After the training camp, some of the mobilized people really fall into the hottest spots. Initially, it is assumed that "former civilians" who are inexperienced in military operations will be used only for auxiliary work, however, it is still unclear how the situation actually develops.
Right or obligation
We distinguish between the concepts of law and obligation in all areas: domestic, professional, sociological, political and so on. The military side of our life is no exception. Mobilization in Russia, just like in all other states, where there is an appropriate legislative base and prerequisites for the development of relations with neighboring states, which determine the possibility of entering the war, provides for the right of citizens to voluntarily replenish the armed forces. At the same time, coming to the place of gathering and being mobilized is the constitutional duty of citizens. As already noted, violation of the law is punishable not only by administrative responsibility, but also in some cases by criminal liability.
Initially, mobilization is announced for 45 days. At the end of this period, a presidential decree is signed on demobilization, or, conversely, on its extension for another 45 days. In principle, the number of such extensions is not specified anywhere, so it can safely be said that mobilization can be unlimited. In any case, it ends after the president signs a decree on demobilization.
According to experts, in the mid-90s, the number of armed forces of Ukraine reached 700 thousand people. Given the age restrictions and demographic processes in the country, it is assumed that through mobilization it is possible to replenish the army with almost 400 thousand people.
With partial mobilization, a draft may be declared in the army only in certain regions of the country. True, by decree of May 6, 2014, the acting president of Ukraine, she covered the whole country, all 24 regions. Therefore, it remains only to monitor the development of events.