Energy News
WAR REPORT
Ukrainian lawmakers rebuff mobilisation bill
Ukrainian lawmakers rebuff mobilisation bill
by AFP Staff Writers
Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) Jan 11, 2024
Ukraine's parliament on Thursday refused to debate a controversial bill aimed at drafting more soldiers, amid fierce criticism from lawmakers and the public.

President Volodymyr Zelensky warned last month the military wanted to mobilise up to half a million people to battle the 600,000 or so Russian soldiers deployed in Ukraine.

The bill, introduced by the government in December, would toughen penalties for draft dodgers and lower the age of military service from 27 to 25.

While it would also cut compulsory wartime service from an unlimited period to 36 months, the changes have been deeply divisive in a nation exhausted by fighting.

"Some provisions directly violate human rights, some are not optimally formulated," ruling party leader David Arakhamia said after a closed door meeting with Ukraine's military leaders.

"We understand the request of the military command and are ready to meet it. But not all the rules can be supported," he said, adding that the bill had been returned to the government.

"In short, there will be no developments under the law on mobilisation. Neither today nor tomorrow. Nor in the near future," said Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an opposition MP from the pro-EU liberal Holos party.

Ukraine's defence minister said in the evening that his team had "already prepared a new version of the draft law" taking into account suggestions form other MPs.

The bill will be submitted for government approval and sent back to Parliament "in the near future", he said on Facebook.

"The mobilisation, military registration, and rotations, which are critically important for the state, are being politicised and stalled. This is unacceptable in wartime," he added.

During a press conference in Estonia on Thursday, Zelensky had acknowledged that military-aged Ukrainian men had illegally left the country to evade army service.

"If they are of mobilisation age, then they should help Ukraine. And they should be in Ukraine," he said during a press conference in Tallinn.

Ukraine, which counts roughly 850,000 soldiers among its ranks, has been trying to boost its numbers as Moscow ramps up pressure and deployments on the frontlines.

Kyiv does not disclose its losses, but after almost two years of trench warfare and a flagging counteroffensive, independent estimates put the figure in the tens of thousands.

bur-brw/PVH

Meta

Related Links
Space War News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WAR REPORT
Israel army claims two journalists slain in Gaza strike were 'terror operatives'
Jerusalem (AFP) Jan 11, 2024
Israel's army claimed on Wednesday that two Al Jazeera journalists it killed in an air strike in Gaza were "terror operatives". Hamza Wael Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuria, who also worked as a video stringer for AFP and other news organisations, were killed on Sunday while they were on an assignment for the Qatar-based channel in the city of Rafah. The army said in a statement on Wednesday its "intelligence has confirmed that both the deceased were members of Gaza-based terrorist organisations active ... read more

WAR REPORT
Nigerians look to biofuel as cost of cooking gas soars

Chinese company gives leftover hotpot oil second life as jet fuel

Cheap and efficient ethanol catalyst from laser-melted nanoparticles

UK permits 'world-first' flight powered by sustainable fuels

WAR REPORT
Innovative catalyst achieves continuous CO2 conversion regardless of weather conditions

How black silicon, a prized material used in solar cells, gets its dark, rough edge

World added 50% more renewable energy but more needed: IEA

A blueprint for affordable solar cells to power Saudi Arabia and beyond

WAR REPORT
Danish firm to build huge wind farm off UK

UK unveils massive news windfarm investment by UAE, German firms

Wind and solar projects can profit from bitcoin mining

Winds of change? Bid to revive England's onshore sector

WAR REPORT
US reduces emissions in 2023 - but not fast enough: report

Private sector funding key to climate transition, World Bank chief says

China, climate in focus at Japan-ASEAN summit

'Where is the money?' COP28 deal throws spotlight on funding

WAR REPORT
How does corrosion happen? New research examines process on atomic level

Solid state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles

The first battery prototype using hemoglobin is developed

Sudden death of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity

WAR REPORT
Toxic heavy metal pollution in the Southern Hemisphere over the last 2,000 years

Spain politicians bicker as plastic 'nurdle' spill swamps beaches

Bhutan's Tobgay, environmental advocate facing economic headwinds

Thai cabinet endorses clean air bill

WAR REPORT
New alloy electrodes set to revolutionize hydrogen production from seawater

US, UK say they want to 'de-escalate tensions' in Red Sea

Iran's navy seizes oil tanker off Oman in dispute with US

Green ammonia could decarbonize 60% of global shipping when offered at just 10 regional fuel ports

WAR REPORT
Sols 4059-4061: New Year, Old Challenges

Sols 4056-4058 Blog: "Ringing" in a New Year

Recent volcanism on Mars reveals a planet more active than previously thought

Sussex research takes us a step closer to sustaining human life on Mars

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.