Number of deferrals is rising by tens of thousands every month, - Koretskyi, citing reasons for revising reservation criteria
The change in approach to granting deferrals from mobilisation is linked to the urgent need to replenish and rotate units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as to the sharp increase in the number of people on the reserve list. The updated requirements are designed to safeguard enterprises that are key to the economy and to put a stop to schemes designed to circumvent conscription.
This was stated by Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi in an interview with BBC Ukraine, according to Censor.NET.
Koretskyi denied that the changes had a political basis
In particular, Koretskyi categorically rejected claims that the review of the criteria had been halted due to public outcry or political scandals.
"This is completely untrue. It is manipulation. It’s very convenient to stir up hype and pose as a great champion ‘for all that is good, against all that is bad’. There is no politics involved. It is a matter of the country’s survival," he emphasised.
Why is the government reviewing the criteria?
According to him, the main reason for the changes is the General Staff’s need for troops to rotate soldiers who have been on the front line for years, as well as to make up for losses.
He also added, citing statistics, that the number of citizens with deferrals or reservations significantly exceeds the number of those currently serving. Over the last 6–8 months, the number of deferrals granted has been rising by tens of thousands every month.
According to the Prime Minister, if this trend continues, "soon absolutely everyone will have been granted deferrals".
Koretskyi noted that the government plans to minimise instances where ‘critical’ status is used merely as a way to avoid mobilisation.
What led up to this?
- It was previously reported that the Ministry of Economy is proposing to reduce the reservation quota for employees in the defence-industrial complex from 100 per cent to 85 per cent.
- At the same time, the Armourers’ Council has opposed this decision and is calling for the retention of the option to reserve up to 100 per cent of conscript-eligible employees at enterprises in the sector.
- The National Association of Defence Industry Enterprises of Ukraine (NAUDI), for its part, has called on the Ministry of Economy to withdraw the draft resolution on reducing the reservation quota for the defence industry to 85 per cent.
