President Volodymyr Zelensky sent proposals to the Supreme Council of Ukraine on 26 October to extend the country’s martial law and universal mobilization. The deputies may review the measures this week, as the parliament has scheduled plenary sessions. The Supreme Council had previously extended martial law and mobilization on 14 July; the current period expires on 31 October. If adopted, the new legislation would extend martial law and universal mobilization for an additional 90 days, until 29 January 2027. This would mark the 21st extension of these extraordinary measures since the full‑scale Russian invasion began. Alongside the extension, the Ukrainian government is revising the rules governing exemptions from mobilization. Premier Serhiy Koretsky explained that the number of employees exempted from military service has been rising by tens of thousands each month, which hampers the rotation of soldiers on the front lines. The new criteria will focus on enterprises deemed critical to national defense and essential state functions, including those in the arms, energy, telecommunications, logistics, housing and communal services sectors. The government also plans to eliminate the automatic 100 % exemption that currently applies to employees of certain industries. Some companies were reportedly established solely to profit from this exemption. “We do not intend to weaken the activity of arms‑producing enterprises or those responsible for the functioning of critical infrastructure,” Koretsky said. “If ensuring continuity of work requires exemption of a larger number of employees, the enterprise can submit a justified request to the Coordination Center.” Enterprises that produce arms or maintain critical infrastructure will be able to apply for exemptions for more employees if necessary. The government is developing a mechanism that would allow companies to obtain exemptions for all employees provided they voluntarily send part of their staff to military service. The aim is to approve a transparent and effective mechanism by 1 December. In 2027, entrepreneurs may face higher costs associated with obtaining exemptions. In the next‑year state budget, the government has proposed raising the minimum wage to 9,546 hryvnia, a change that could affect the overall cost of exemptions for businesses. Meanwhile, Berlin is reportedly considering providing Kyiv with data from registration and social registers to facilitate contact with conscription‑age Ukrainians. The violence related to mobilization has intensified, with more than 600 attacks on employees of mobilization centers recorded since the beginning of the year.
Article source: Rzeczpospolita | Image credit: Rzeczpospolita