KIEV, May 06, /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s parliament-appointed President Alexander Turchinov has signed a decree on partial mobilization in the country, the official website of the Ukrainian head of state reported on Tuesday.
The mobilization is to be carried out within 45 days after the decree comes into force. The document stresses that persons liable for military service, including reservists, will be called up in all of Ukraine’s regions.
Less than a week ago, Ukraine announced a call-up campaign over the aggravation of the situation in the country’s southeastern regions. Subject to call-up are young men aged from 18 to 25, who have no right to draft deferment or exemption from military service.
In October 2013, the then President Viktor Yanukovich signed a decree announcing the last call-up campaign. After that, the Ukrainian army was to be switched to service by contract only. As many as 10,800 people were called up back then to bring the total strength of the Ukrainian army to 168,000. The then programme of the army reform envisaged a more than two-fold cut of the armed forces within five years - from 180,000 to 70,000.