Ukraine mulls conscription of women between 20 and 50

[ChocoBro]

http://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-armed-forces-set-call-female-citizens-aged-20-50-new-recruitment-cycle-304276

 

After Yanukovic had ended mandatory military service in Ukraine, the government that toppled him not too long ago quickly brought it back into law after they realized they needed a larger force to fight the separatists in the East.

 

After massive waves of defection and flight across Russian borders, Ukraine has been dependent on a number of foreign mercenaries from the get-go as well as any able-bodied person they could get their hands on... whether they want to fight or not.

 

Running out of ideas, they are now considering extending the draft to able-bodied women, too.

 

Bad news for our sisters in Ukraine. Conscription always is. I wonder if you have any way of opting out like it used to be the case in Germany?

[cricket246]

That's always been my fear here in the US, they've talked about going to war and said they will bring back the draft if that should ever happen...Me and most of my friends are in our twenties, thirties or even some of the younger ones in their mid teens...

[ChocoBro]

Back in the day I experienced a bureaucratic error and because I went to a lawyer instead of handling it directly with the authorities, I ended up classified as a soldier and not in the alternative civil service department. Wasn't in the truth then but determined not to be part of any military force.

 

I had to go up to the base I was assigned to and signed all the papers with reservations, stating I was not agreeing to being drafted etc. They didn't listen or care so when it came to the crunch, I started refusing orders, like having my uniform issued and then got locked into confinement in a 5 m² cell.

 

In the end, it all went well but I was put under immense pressure on that day by my supposed superior officers and later on by a military attorney. He threatend to lock me up for several years for desertion. His jaw dropped when I told him I felt no joy in the idea of going to prison but, if it had to be done, it had to be done.

 

And I would have gone to prison if it really had been the only choice (though I swear that would have ended up in the papers). Easily said though, given the average quality of life in German prisons. I'd be very scared to go to a US prison or a Ukrainian or Russian prison......