Call-up of Reservists

On Tuesday, February 22, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the call-up of reservists. The call-up will take place temporarily, during the special period, Zelenskyy noted.

Why reservists are being called up now

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian army needs to be brought up to full strength. This is caused by the tense situation on Ukraine's border and Russia's increased aggression.

The call-up starts on February 23 – only the operational reserve must be involved. This means that ordinary civilians and citizens who have not yet served do not have to go to military units.

Who reservists are: details

Reservists are military personnel who are not doing compulsory service in military units and are a reserve force that brings the army up to strength in special cases:

• An attack on the country

• Escalation of the conflict and a tense situation

• A build-up of enemy troops

In peacetime, they serve voluntarily – if a soldier does not have the time or desire to serve, he may choose not to. However, during the special period, which has been going on in Ukraine for 8 years, reservists are obliged to return to service.

The military operational reserve includes:

• Military personnel discharged from military service after being called up during mobilisation;

• Those discharged from compulsory military service in the army;

• And servicemen discharged from contract service.

The operational reserve consists of military personnel who can immediately arrive as reinforcements to hot spots. The place of hostilities can be anywhere – either on the borders or on the lines of contact.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the maximum term of service will be 1 year.

Call-up: what age soldiers must be

To serve in the operational reserve, Ukrainians must meet limit standards – in particular, age.

The age limit for reservists:

• 60 years – for privates, sergeants, petty officers, junior and senior officers;

• 65 years – for senior commanding officers.

You can become a reservist from the age of 18 – upon reaching adulthood.

How the call-up of reservists will help the army

Operational reservists can be sent to bring up to strength:

• Military command bodies;

• Military units and combat subunits;

• Special-purpose law enforcement agencies.

Is it possible to join the call-up

Every male and female citizen can voluntarily do service. You can undergo training and obtain reservist status at the nearest territorial recruitment centre – before that, a person must pass a medical examination and familiarise themselves with the conditions of service.