Military commanders to be authorized to recruit volunteers

Source: Ukraine’s defense ministry

Ukraine’s military commander are now authorized to recruit volunteer soldiers bypassing recruitment office procedures, according to the law update green-lit by the government on Tuesday.

This new rule allows commanders to directly staff combat units with individuals who wish to serve during mobilization. The policy can streamline the recruitment process, enabling military units to fill their ranks more efficiently and giving volunteers the freedom to choose their preferred units.

The changes also grant new powers to Ukraine’s General Staff that can now designate specific military units whose commanders are authorized to recruit reservists and individuals liable for military service without formal reserve contracts. This adjustment comes in response to long-standing requests from military units for greater flexibility in recruiting volunteers.

Defense minister Rustem Umerov said that the new procedures will help improve the “quality of recruit selection”, allowing volunteers to serve in units that match their preferences and skills while brigades will have new tools for targeted recruitment, reducing the onboarding time for new soldiers.

Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.

The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.

In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.

Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.

Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.