Ukraine's parliament passes a controversial law to boost much-needed conscripts and fill army ranks

Members of the Siberian Battalion, which was formed mostly of volunteer Russian citizens, of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ International Legion, practice during military exercises, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, at an undisclosed location in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Apr. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s parliament passed a law on Thursday that will govern how the country recruits new conscripts, following months of delay and after thousands of amendments were submitted to water down the initial draft.

Lawmakers dragged their feet for months over the law, which is expected to be unpopular. The law was spurred by a request from the military command under former army Commander Valerii Zaluzhny, who said Ukraine needs up to 500,000 new recruits to boost army ranks.

Exhausted soldiers, on the frontlines since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, had no means to rotate out for rest, while many thousands of Ukrainian men continue to evade the draft.

The law brings into effect a host of changes to the current system by expanding the powers of Ukrainian authorities to issue draft notices using an electronic system.

Incumbent army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have since revised that figure after conducting an audit, saying the number needed was not as high because soldiers can be rotated from the rear.

Zaluzhny’s dismissal from his post was reportedly over the mobilization issue.