In the early days of mobilisation in Ukraine, it’s clear that the majority of men in the country are swiftly updating their contact details to join the army. After the new law on mobilisation was adopted, queues formed in front of military police stations in many major Ukrainian cities in the first few days. According to Hromadske, there was already a huge queue at half past ten in the morning. Andriy, a 25-year-old IT worker, mentioned that his number in the queue was 169. He would like to request a postponement, as this is the second time he has come. The day before, he was late.
The new law on mobilisation came into effect on May 18. From now until July 16, all individuals subject to military service, including conscripts and reservists aged 18 to 60, are required to update their information using the Reserve+ application. This can be done at the Central Administrative Service of Ukraine or at the Territorial Centre for military personnel, as announced by the Ministry of Defence. Ukraine is currently under martial law and general mobilisation for men.
As of May 21, over a million Ukrainians have already registered on the Reserve+ application, which is designed to register military personnel, conscripts, and reservists, as reported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Additionally, 700,000 citizens have already updated their data. According to Kateryna Chernohorenko, the Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development, “Reserve+ demonstrates that Ukrainians are brave, embrace the Internet, and believe in digitalisation. Digital technology is not just a convenience; it is already a way of thinking and a lifestyle in our country. This is 83 times more people than those who came to update their data through administrative centres and ten times more than through recruitment offices.”
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence launched the Reserve+ application on 17th May for individuals required to perform military service. This application can be easily downloaded to smartphones, allowing for quick updates to military record books. From 18th June, the Reserve+ application will feature a QR code, which authorities can scan to instantly verify the status of individuals obligated to serve in the military, whether they are conscripts or reservists. Deputy Justice Minister Olena Vysotska has mentioned that over three thousand convicts have already applied for early release to serve in the armed forces. She pointed out that not all prisoners who applied will be accepted, as the law restricts the categories of prisoners who can apply to join the army. Additionally, some of these individuals may not pass the medical examination if they are diagnosed with HIV, tuberculosis, or hepatitis. On May 8, the Rada adopted law 11079-1, which allows certain categories of prisoners to be mobilised into the armed forces.
