Zaluzhnyi comments on mobilization of people with disabilities

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, considers it inappropriate to discuss the possibility of mobilizing people with one or another group of disabilities, the military medical commission must determine whether a person is fit or unfit for military service.

Zaluzhnyi said this on the air of the telethon, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"I believe that today, operating on the degree of disability of the 2nd group, the 3rd group, it is not relevant now, because it is not the disability that a person has, but the military medical commission that determines whether a person is fit for military service or not," he said.

Commenting on the bill of the Cabinet of Ministers on mobilization, Zaluzhnyi noted that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine agreed that it is necessary to leave two concepts: a person who is suitable for military service and a person who is not suitable for military service, getting rid of the concept of "limited suitability".

At the same time, Zaluzhnyi emphasized that the military leadership treats civilians with respect and is interested in the army being filled with people who can fight based on their physical characteristics.

"We have absolute respect for those people who are in a civilian environment and we want the army to be filled with people who can fight according to their physical characteristics, but again, this will all be decided by the military medical commission, which today has such powers," he said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on December 25, the Cabinet of Ministers submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill on mobilization, which, in particular, envisages reducing the minimum conscription age for mobilization from 27 to 25 years, canceling the exemption from mobilization for the disabled of the 3rd group, canceling the postponement of mobilization for those who receive second higher education.

Zaluzhnyi, commenting on the bill of the Cabinet of Ministers on mobilization, noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not have a legislative initiative, but form requests to the Ministry of Defense in order to continue combat operations.