Mobilisation? Untrained Ukrainian women on army lists

In Ukraine, the debate over mobilisation has once again flared up, this time in relation to women. Although under current rules only women in medical professions are subject to compulsory registration, there have been cases in which women without any medical training have also appeared in the army’s databases, Unian reports.

Some were found to have been assigned military ranks or listed as wanted for failing to comply with registration requirements, and were fined. According to their accounts, this occurred without their knowledge.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has explained the cases as manual data entry errors and denies that there has been any systematic mobilisation of women. It stresses that women’s service in the army remains voluntary.

Nevertheless, the situation raises questions, particularly in the context of a long-term shortage of soldiers and growing social tensions around mobilisation.

(pir)