From October 1, Ukrainian women with a pharmacist or medical diploma are required to register for military service

In a few days, on October 1, 2023, the requirement for all female doctors, including those with young children and pregnant women, to register for military service will come into force in Ukraine. In this regard, many questions arise. Further – in detail and with all the nuances.

First of all: the category of female medical personnel liable for military service includes persons aged 18 to 60 years who have a medical or pharmaceutical specialty – doctors and nurses, obstetricians and dentists, pharmacists, etc. The specialty is confirmed by a diploma and place of work.

The obligation to register for military service is imposed on women by two documents: Order of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine No. 35, as amended, and Article 1, paragraph 11 of the Law of Ukraine “On Military Duty and Military Service”. In accordance with them, women who are fit for military service by age (18-60), who have graduated from professional, vocational and technical institutions and universities, and have received a medical or pharmaceutical specialty, are subject to military registration. Women must independently appear at the military registration and enlistment office (territorial recruiting centers for the TCC) with documents.

There are also specialties and professions with which women can register for military service, but only voluntarily. The complete list is provided by the Ministry of Defense:

• Chemistry, chemical technology and engineering, biology.
• Telecommunications and radio engineering.
• Software engineering, computer science, information systems and technology, computer engineering, systems analysis, cybersecurity, micro- and nanosystems engineering, automation and computer-integrated technologies.
• Metrology and information-measuring technology.
• Earth sciences, geography, physics and astronomy.
• Food technologies, development of production and processing of livestock products.
• Providing troops, weapons and military equipment, light industry technologies.
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical and psychological rehabilitation, public health, physical rehabilitation, industrial pharmacy, sanitation and expertise.
• Dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, medical diagnostic and treatment technologies.
• Biomedical engineering, biotechnology and bioengineering.
• Veterinary medicine, veterinary hygiene.
• Accounting and taxation, marketing, management, entrepreneurship, economics, finance, banking and insurance.
• Publishing and printing.
• Psychology, social work, social welfare.

That is, economists, programmers, psychologists and many other specialists at this stage can independently decide whether to register for military service. However, it is worth noting that this list is being adjusted, as stated in the order of the Ministry of Defense:

“Every year, before March 1, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine takes measures to make (if necessary) changes to the list…, after receiving which women are registered for military service in connection with the priority needs for mobilization resources.”

Educational institutions that currently train women in medical or pharmaceutical professions will themselves transfer their data to the TCC two months before graduation. Then a temporary certificate of a person liable for military service will be issued for a period of up to 30 days. After this, holders of a temporary certificate will have to come to the TCC within 7 days and register with the military. Women with existing diplomas must come to the TCC on their own, taking with them:

• passport;
• document on obtaining a specialty;
• children’s birth certificate (custody document);
• Marriage certificate.

After this, the woman will be sent for a medical examination to the military medical commission.

Heads of state and local authorities, as well as enterprises, institutions and organizations of all forms of ownership must inform the TCC about women working for them who have received education in a medical or pharmaceutical specialty and who are not registered with the military.

And the most exciting question: about mobilization. Officials promise voluntary mobilization for women. As long as the situation allows it. But there is a law on military duty, which clearly states: women who are registered with the military can be called up for military service or involved in work to ensure the defense of the country in wartime. Military service for women is carried out on equal terms with men.

What should pregnant women do? Do they need to go to the military registration and enlistment office? According to the law, the answer is clear: Pregnancy is grounds for dismissal from military service, but it does not exempt you from military registration. Lawyer Rostislav Kravets explains publication “A country”:

“Many people confuse the articles of the laws that relate to the requirement to register for military service, and which exempt women from mobilization. Women must register for military service regardless of their physical condition or position. Even if a woman MP has a medical specialty, she must also appear at the TCC “The same applies to pregnant women and mothers of young children. According to the new rules, registration is required for them as well. And in the future they may receive a deferment from mobilization.”

The lawyer explains that if a woman did military service during mobilization, then during pregnancy, regardless of the period, she must be demobilized. A woman who has children under three years of age, or if her child under the age of 6 years needs home care according to a medical report, is also subject to dismissal. However, both pregnant women and mothers of young children are required to register for military service.

Many women are concerned about whether they should serve when they have children. After registering for military service, a woman becomes liable for military service. In the event of a mobilization call, a woman will have to serve. The list of grounds for deferment from mobilization is determined by Art. 23 of the Law “On Mobilization”, the law does not divide those liable for military service by their gender. They will be able to get a deferment:

• those who are booked by authorities;
• persons with disabilities or who have received a deferment for health reasons by decision of the military medical commission (MMC);
• persons with 3 children;
• persons raising a child (children) under 18 years of age on their own;
• guardians of a disabled child;
• persons providing constant care for a sick relative (in the absence of other relatives who can provide this care);
• people’s deputies;
• military spouses and some other categories.

To the question about traveling abroad after a woman registers with the military, so far the answers are too contradictory. For example, the presidential representative in the Rada, Fyodor Venislavsky, stated that women who will be registered for military service from October 1, 2023, acquire the status of those liable for military service and travel abroad in the same manner as established for those liable for military service. That is, they will be prohibited from leaving the country. He then refuted his words, saying that the restrictions would only apply to women already mobilized into the army.

People’s Deputy Maxim Buzhansky explained to the publication that At the moment, the travel of women liable for military service abroad is not prohibited. The rules for crossing the border are determined by government decree, and so far it only regulates the departure of men liable for military service – no changes have been made to the document regarding the travel abroad of women liable for military service.

Representatives of the State Border Service previously stated the same thing – travel abroad is limited only to men liable for military service. To limit it for women as well, a new resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers is needed. Moreover, how at the border they will distinguish a woman liable for military service from an ordinary woman is not yet clear. Rostislav Kravets says:

“When travel abroad was restricted for women judges, their lists were directly submitted to the State Border Service. The same lists were submitted to deputies of local councils. But the number of women doctors is clearly not commensurate with the number of women judges, so there is no answer to the question of how they will be identified , No”.

From October 1, there will be no changes in the conditions for women traveling abroad, the Ministry of Health said:

“Every woman with a medical and pharmaceutical education can freely cross the state border, regardless of whether she is registered with the military or not (restrictions apply only to certain categories of civil servants and officials holding certain positions).”

Is it threatening punishment women of the above category, if they do not register? According to Article 210 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, such persons faces a fine of 850 to 1700 UAH. And Article 337 of the Criminal Code introduces criminal liability in the event that the head of the TCC issues a warning regarding evasion of military registration. In this case, the fine will be from 5100 to 8500 UAH. You may also face correctional labor for up to 1 year.

Fines are also provided for employers who did not transmit information about women liable for military service to the TCC – from 3,400 to 8,500 UAH. Kravets explained that they are issued by the TCC, but Ukrainian legislation does not oblige employers to allow the TCC to enter the territory of enterprises for inspections:

“Formally, such fines are prescribed in the KUAPp, but it is illegal for the TCC to enter the organization’s territory in search of female dodgers. If a TCC employee decides to come in for an inspection, he may be told that the exit is the same as the entrance.”

Women liable for military service will be subject to the same articles of the Code of Administrative Violations or even the Criminal Code that are currently applied against men liable for military service:

1. Damage or loss of a military ID – a fine of 51-119 UAH.
2. Violation of military registration rules (failure to appear at the military registration and enlistment office to clarify registration data, refusal of a summons) – a fine of 3,400 to 5,100 UAH.
3. Evasion of training fees – a fine of 8,500 to 11,900 UAH or correctional labor for up to 2 years.
4. Evasion of conscription for military service during mobilization: criminal liability, from 3 to 5 years in prison.

Most court verdicts under this article now imply a so-called “probationary sentence” of 1-2 years. But there are already frequent cases when the prosecutor’s office challenges “lenient” sentences, and an appeal sends draft dodgers to jail.

It should be noted that evading mobilization is considered a minor crime, that is, those convicted under this article are not removed from the military register, which means that in the future they can again be served with a summons and mobilized.

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