Veteran Gudimenko spoke out strongly against conscription and the ‘reserve’ scheme for ‘bodybuilders’
Speaking on Radio NV, the head of the Anti-Corruption Council at the Ministry of Defence emphasised that demobilisation is long overdue, but it is impossible without a transparent and fair mobilisation process.
‘Two parallel worlds’
Yuriy Gudymenko, who himself was seriously wounded at the front, spoke candidly about the social dissonance that is causing outrage among the military.
“I’m genuinely tired of living in one world and seeing sports halls completely packed with some bodybuilders who are obviously reserved for someone. And at the same time watching videos about yet another scandal because the Territorial Recruitment Centres have exceeded their powers,” said Gudymenko.
He emphasised that mobilisation must finally become clear and understandable to all sections of the population, not just those who were unable to obtain a ‘reservation’.
Recruiting foreigners and demographics
The veteran proposed a solution to strengthen the army and address the demographic crisis: to actively recruit foreign volunteers from friendly countries. Foreigners fighting for Ukraine should be granted the right to a passport and the opportunity to stay and live here. Gudymenko believes that vacancies in Ukraine should be filled by people who have proven their loyalty to the country on the battlefield, rather than simply migrant workers.
What did the president promise?
Against the backdrop of these discussions, Zelenskyy has set the task of introducing special contracts for frontline service with pay ranging from 250,000 to 400,000 hryvnias. The main issue, however, remains the demobilisation mechanism, which is due to come into effect this year to give a break to those who have been on the front line since the very beginning. Currently, according to Gudymenko, the state is working on streamlining the operations of the Territorial Recruitment Centres and the booking system, although the specific details of these plans remain undisclosed for now.
As a reminder, Yuriy Gudymenko is the head of the Public Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, leader of the ‘Democratic Axe’ movement, and a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war. A historian by profession, he has worked as editor-in-chief of several publications, a television presenter and a columnist. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, he has served as a sapper in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, taking part in the liberation of the Kyiv region and battles in the Kharkiv region, where in June 2022 he was seriously wounded during an artillery barrage.
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