Demobilization possible anytime soon in Ukraine? Official provides answer
Photo: Fedir Venislavskyi, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Demobilization should not be expected anytime soon, as Russia continues to expand its mobilization resources, according to Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, as reported by Media Center Ukraine.
According to Venislavskyi, Russia is currently increasing the size of its Armed Forces and recruiting new soldiers through conscription or other motivational measures. He also noted that the number of Russian troops in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine has grown by approximately 15–20% compared to last year.
"To speak of a demobilization law or the release of certain categories of individuals from military service being adopted in the near future — I believe we should not be overly optimistic in that regard. I think it is unlikely that this will happen anytime soon," he added.
Demobilization in Ukraine
Currently, Ukraine does not have an approved procedure for the demobilization of military personnel, and the issue of discharging those who have been in service since the beginning of the full-scale invasion remains unresolved. Even though many service members have been fighting since 2022, there are still no clear mechanisms for returning soldiers to civilian life.
In April, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that around 350,000 service members who have been in the military since 2022 could theoretically be discharged. However, he emphasized that under the current conditions on the front lines, a full demobilization is not possible.
As a temporary alternative, the Ministry of Defense has developed a rotation system: service members who have been continuously engaged in combat operations for 90 days are granted the right to several months of rest.
