The authorities are discussing cutting by 1.5 times the share of workers exempt from mobilization at critical enterprises in order to replenish the Ukrainian armed forces

One of the options for changing the mobilization process that the authorities are currently discussing is reducing the quota of draft-exempt employees at critically important enterprises from the current 50% to 30%. This would mean that 40% of those who currently have deferments at such enterprises would lose them.

This was reported to Strana by sources in the government.

In addition, an option is being considered to raise the minimum salary required for obtaining a deferment from the current 21,600 hryvnias to 27,000 hryvnias. According to the authorities’ calculations, these measures should provide an additional influx of 350,000 to 400,000 new recruits into the army.

At present, the number of people exempt from mobilization is about 1.3 million. But in addition to critically important enterprises with a 50% quota, there are also defense enterprises and energy infrastructure enterprises with a 100% quota, and there are no plans to reduce that. At the same time, all exempt employees are registered for military service, and the territorial recruitment centers know where they work and live. Therefore, literally on the very first day their exemption is canceled, they could be served draft notices right at their workplace.

The source clarified that no final decision on the changes has yet been made. The government’s economic bloc opposes them. In addition, officials on Bankova are concerned about the negative impact such measures could have on social tensions in society.

As a reminder, the Verkhovna Rada has stated that President Volodymyr Zelensky and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not agree with the proposals for reforming the territorial recruitment centers put forward by the Ministry of Defense.