Latest news with #AlinaMykhailova
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Supreme Court rules religious belief does not exempt citizens from military service during wartime
Ukraine's Supreme Court ruled that citizens cannot refuse military service during wartime based on religious beliefs, emphasizing that the obligation to defend the nation applies to all Ukrainians during Russia's full-scale invasion, the court's press office said on May 1. The ruling comes from a case involving a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, a religious group whose doctrine forbids any form of military service. Lower courts had convicted a man for failing to report to a military recruitment office after receiving a summons. He was sentenced to three years in prison under Article 336 of Ukraine's Criminal Code for evading conscription during mobilization. The man's defense argued that his refusal was grounded in deeply held religious convictions and that criminal prosecution should not apply in such a case. However, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction, citing the state of martial law and the urgent need for national defense. 'Ukraine has introduced alternatives to (mandatory) military service in peacetime, and Ukrainian citizens can freely use them,' the court said in a statement. 'However, in wartime, during mobilization and defensive war, the duty to defend Ukraine, which has been aggressively attacked by the Russian Federation, is imposed on all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their religion.' The court added that Ukraine's current state of defensive war against a far larger and more heavily resourced Russia constitutes an 'exceptional public need,' which justifies limitations on certain freedoms, including religious exemptions from military service. Citing previous European Court of Human Rights rulings, the Supreme Court acknowledged the importance of balancing freedom of religion with state obligations. It noted that no ECHR decision has addressed a comparable case involving such a large-scale war and national threat. The ruling comes amid Ukraine's broader struggle to address personnel shortages on the front lines. On Feb. 11, the government introduced a one-year voluntary service contract for citizens aged 18–24, offering Hr 1 million ($24,000) in one-time aid and monthly payments of up to Hr 120,000 ($3,000). Volunteers also receive housing and travel benefits upon completion of service. The initiative aims to attract younger recruits without lowering the draft age from 25 to 18, a move urged by the U.S. but resisted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who argued it could harm Ukraine's long-term future. Still, the plan has drawn criticism from current service members, who say they receive fewer benefits than new volunteers. 'Why are those who enlisted earlier in a worse position?' asked Alina Mykhailova, a Ukrainian paramedic and soldier in a Facebook post in February. Read also: Ukraine is failing the mobilization test We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine introduces 1-year military contract for young volunteers, facing mixed reactions
Ukraine's government approved a one-year contract for volunteers aged 18-24 on Feb. 11, aiming to boost recruitment with financial incentives and social benefits, but the decision has sparked mixed reactions within the military community. The contract includes basic general military training, vocational training, and an adaptation course in an army unit. Volunteers will receive a one-time monetary aid payment of Hr 1 million ($24,000) and a monthly allowance of up to Hr 120,000 ($3,000). The move comes amid increasing pressure from the U.S. for Ukraine to lower its draft age from 25 to 18 to address manpower shortages. President Volodymyr Zelensky has resisted lowering the draft age, arguing it could harm Ukraine's long-term future. Instead, Ukraine aims to attract younger volunteer recruits through benefits, such as a 0% mortgage after completing service and social guarantees. Upon completion, volunteers will have the right to travel abroad and be exempt from mobilization for 12 months. The military faces a critical personnel shortfall, struggling to replenish infantry gaps amid battlefield losses. The current mobilization system requires indefinite service, discouraging enlistment, while the new contract is designed to appeal to young volunteers unwilling to commit long-term. The decision has drawn criticism from frontline soldiers, with some questioning why existing troops receive fewer benefits. Ukrainian soldier and paramedic Alina Mykhailova voiced her frustration, asking, "Why are those who enlisted earlier in a worse position? Where are their guarantees, social protection, and fair service bonus?" Former soldier and journalist Masi Nayem echoed the sentiment, saying he received messages from comrades expressing dissatisfaction: "It seems that choosing between unpopular decisions, they decided to disregard the motivation of those already in service." The Defense Ministry has yet to respond to concerns raised by active-duty soldiers, but the debate underscores the broader challenge of balancing recruitment efforts with maintaining morale among Ukraine's existing forces. Read also: Europe faces 'total' Russian occupation without Ukraine's army, Zelensky says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
