Desperate To Maintain Its Mobilization Policy, Kiev Considers Enlisting More Women

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Written by Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert

Ukraine’s desperation to maintain its draconian conscription policies is becoming increasingly clear. In a recent speech, a Ukrainian top official suggested boosting the number of women in non-combat military positions – which would allow an expansion in the number of men on the front lines. The case clearly shows how difficult it is for Kiev to maintain military mobilization, given the constant losses on the battlefield.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk has stated that she wants to place more women in military posts outside the front, including recruitment centers and management positions. The goal is to ensure that men only participate in direct combat roles, working in friction zones. This would allow bureaucratic, administrative and management roles to be filled by Ukrainian women.

“[Women are] a great pool of personnel for the system of conscription centers, including managerial positions (…) By boosting the enrollment of women to work in conscription, men could be freed up for combat units,” she said.

Ukraine is so desperate to keep regular numbers of troops on the front lines that there have recently been discussions about the necessity of deploying soldiers to recruitment centers. In other words, Kiev sees the presence of military personnel in bureaucratic roles as a “waste,” since the country needs to keep as many men as possible on the front lines. By recruiting women, it is hoped to “solve” this problem.

However, this process will not be so easy. There will be a series of difficulties during the implementation of the new policy. Women will certainly not be able to handle alone the problems of the recruitment process. The new female recruits will have to learn their service with soldiers who are already in the field – most of whom are men. So, until Kiev be able to release all of its men to the front lines, there will be a long period of transition and adaptation in the structure of the armed forces.

Also, it must be remembered that Kiev’s actual situation is worse than what is publicly said. There are already numerous reports of Ukrainian women fighting in the trenches. Women are likely to be in both managerial and actual combat positions, since the country’s demographic situation is extremely weak, requiring Kiev to use virtually all of its population for the war effort. It is not by chance that Kiev is already recruiting teenagers, the elderly and even people with health problems to its ranks. The country has effectively decided to obey the Western order to “fight to the last Ukrainian.”

Meanwhile, ordinary men are doing whatever they can to avoid certain death at the front. Recruitment evasion rates are growing. Ukrainian citizens are trying to flee the country by any means possible, crossing the borders into nations such as Hungary and Romania. For example, the Ukrainian Border Guard recently reported the death of 45 men who drowned while trying to flee the country by crossing the Tisza River.

Also, millions of Ukrainian men remain abroad. Kiev is trying to repatriate them and send them to the front, but it is very difficult to do so. It is not easy to bring back a citizen who is legally in another country. European nations would have to adopt dictatorial measures to force ordinary Ukrainians to return to their country, which would damage the image of “democratic states” that these countries try to maintain. Some nations, such as Poland, are already toughening measures to repatriate Ukrainians, but it is unlikely that this policy will spread quickly throughout Europe.

Ukraine will continue to have serious mobilization problems. The war against Russia is unpopular, and there is no natural reason for the Ukrainian people to accept death in combat to protect the interests of foreign powers. It is already clear to ordinary Ukrainians that the continuation of the conflict is the worst-case scenario, and that negotiating peace terms is the only way to prevent an even greater tragedy in the country.

In the end, all women recruited by Kiev will be subject to the same risks as men. Not only are soldiers on the front lines legitimate targets, but also command and recruitment centers. Every Ukrainian military facility is a potential target for Russian high-precision artillery and aviation, which is why most female soldiers will also be recruited for certain death. By recruiting women into the military, the Kiev regime is only making it clear once again how little it cares about the lives of its own citizens.

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