what changes await conscripts

Ukraine will no longer have the status of “limited suitability”

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President of Ukraine signed Law No. 3621-IX “On ensuring the rights of military personnel and police officers to social protection”, which provides for the cancellation of the “limited fitness” status of conscripts. New categories may appear instead.

This is from the Department of Health Protection of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported in response to the request of “BBC Ukraine” journalists.

In the department point outthat the cancellation of this status does not mean that all military personnel and conscripts will automatically become “eligible” or “uneligible”.

The law will enter into force one month after its publication – on May 4, 2024. After that, within nine months (until February 4, 2025), those with limited fitness must re-pass the military medical commission (MMC). Based on its results, doctors will decide to which group a man of draft age will belong.

By in words Deputy Minister of Defense Ivan Havrylyuk, repeated medical examinations will begin already in mid-May.

However, there is a problem: the Ministry of Defense has not yet developed it order No. 402, which determines the criteria for acquiring a new status and the procedure for its assignment. As Gavrilyuk noted, the document is currently at the stage of approval of changes.

“The new order is being developed by the Ministry of Defense together with the chief doctors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, experts of the Ministry of Health, and public organizations. The final provisions of the law indicate that the department has three months to do this. What will be in the updated order on VLK is still unknown.” – writes “BBC Ukraine”.

Therefore, after passing the repeated VLK militarywho were found unfit, will be released from service, and those who are fit will continue to serve.

Instead of useless conscripts are excluded from military registration, and those who are eligible will have to serve.

In addition to the above-mentioned statuses, the Health Department of the Ministry of Defense reported that the following may be introduced:

• unfit for military service (with a review of the conclusion after 6-12 months);
• temporarily unfit, requiring rehabilitation, treatment, leave or dismissal (this category existed before);
• suitable for service;
• suitable for service in support units, TPS and SP, higher military educational institutions and institutions.
  

The last category will be an alternative to the status of “limited suitability”, noted in “BBC Ukraine”.

In addition to the general conclusion on the state of health, the doctors of the military medical commission must provide a conclusion. It will contain descriptions of tasks that a man can perform, and which are contraindicated for him. It will also indicate in which troops a conscript can serve. However, according to the lawyers, this mechanism has not yet been settled.

Human rights defenders say that for a large part of conscripts who have serious illnesses, such innovations “can be a relief.”

“There are a limited number of thousands eligible in Ukraine: people with injuries, those recovering from operations not related to combat missions, and people with serious problems – for example, blood clotting disorders, cancer in remission, HIV, congenital syphilis, diabetes, epilepsy with isolated attacks, some diseases of the heart, endocrine, digestive system, vision and hearing problems”, – writes “BBC Ukraine”.

Now the list of diseases and the table of health requirements for military service of various kinds must be updated. After this is done, some of those with limited fitness will be released, but there will be few such people, because the army is short of men.

Despite the adoption of the new law, a number of unresolved issues remain:

• whether the former disabled will be able to find positions that correspond to their health condition;
• where those who currently hold positions in rear units, TCC and other structures will serve;
• whether it will lead to the transfer of former limited fit persons to offices, and suitable rearguards – closer to the front line.
  

We will remind you, lawyers explainedwhich changes for students and postgraduates are foreseen by the law on strengthening mobilization.