Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the issue of military registration has gained a new urgency, it concerns not only men of conscription age, but also a wider circle – parents who worry about the fate of their sons, often still minors. The feeling of uncertainty, lack of clear rules and constant changes in legislation create additional tension in society. In such an emotionally charged context, an updated automated military accounting system called “Oberig” has recently started operating in Ukraine. Its launch fundamentally changes the registration mechanism for young men from 17 to 25 years old, transferring the process to the level of automatic inclusion in military registers.
How the “Oberig” system works and what it changes
According to official information, the automated military registration system “Oberig” is integrated with a number of state registers — primarily with the database of the State Migration Service, the register of civil status acts and other key data sources. Thanks to this integration, the system receives complete information about citizens, including date of birth, citizenship, place of residence, marital and family status, as well as other parameters affecting their military registration.
Now, young men between the ages of 17 and 25 are automatically entered into the register of conscripts without the need to personally apply to Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCC). This applies to all citizens, whose data are contained in the registers, regardless of whether they have the desire or the ability to appear in person at the military commissariat.
Information entering the system does not require additional confirmation from the citizen. It is not only about the fact of the presence of a person in the age category of 17-25 years, but also about the automatic creation of electronic military records. This means that the state does not just collect general data, but forms a full-fledged profile of each young man, suitable for registration, without his participation.
Reasons for introducing automation
The introduction of the “Oberig” system is justified by a number of administrative and technical reasons, which, from the point of view of state authorities, are designed to make the process more efficient and less burdensome. Previously, TCC staff had to manually process a large number of documents, check the existence of grounds for accounting, clarify personal data and monitor the relevance of information. All this took a lot of time, created queues, contributed to errors and generated bureaucratic misunderstandings.
The “Oberig” system eliminates these difficulties thanks to the automatic collection of information. It allows you to regularly update information — for example, when you change your place of residence or change your marital status. In addition, a holistic picture of accounting is created throughout the country, and not only within the boundaries of individual territorial centers. This ensures centralization, increases the accuracy of data and allows for prompt planning of mobilization training volumes.
The legal basis of the innovation is also important: the state has the right to keep records of citizens fit for military service, and within the limits of the current legislation, it implements this not only through physical actions, but also through digital tools.
The role of age: why exactly 17–25
Numerous appeals from families, especially those whose sons have just turned 17, testify to anxiety. Parents ask: why register minors? Does this mean immediate service of the summons?
According to the current law, initial registration is really provided for from the age of 17. This is not yet a conscription, mobilization or sending to the army, but only a technical process of entry into the accounting database. However, the automation of this step has become a source of excitement, because now this accounting takes place without the participation of the family, as well as the usual call to the TCC for a commission or medical examination.
For young men under the age of 25 who have not yet been registered, the changes mean their inevitable inclusion in the database. Thus, the entire category of men who previously could not appear at the military commissariat for various reasons — in particular, due to study, living abroad, or lack of notification — is now covered automatically.
Implications for families
Parents who previously planned to gradually prepare their son for contact with the military system, avoiding stress, waiting for him to come of age, consulting with doctors or lawyers, now find themselves faced with the fact that the account has already been opened. In many cases, they do not know when exactly this happened and what information has already been transferred to the system.
Of particular concern is the fact that in some communities the local authorities or TCC do not provide clear explanations regarding the algorithm for further actions. Should the family receive a notification? Do you need to confirm something? What should I do if my son is studying abroad? These questions remain open for many, and it is the lack of information that is the main factor in the growth of social tension.
It is also worth paying attention to the legal side: from the moment of inclusion in the register, a citizen has a number of obligations, in particular, to update data, to appear on summons, etc. Failure to comply may result in fines. Therefore, families need not only to know about the fact of automatic registration, but also to track in time how and when this information became relevant.
Another important aspect is the confidentiality and accuracy of information. Automated systems are error-prone, especially if integration with registries occurs without the citizen being able to verify or correct the data. Cases of duplication of records, inaccuracies in dates of birth or place of residence have already been recorded in other registries, so it is quite possible that similar problems will arise here as well.
That is why experts advise young men and their parents to check their status in the system — using the draftee’s electronic account or by contacting the TCC. There is currently no public online tool for self-verification of Oberig inclusion, but its implementation is under discussion.
The introduction of automatic military accounting is a technological step that allows the state to better manage resources and avoid chaos. However, this process touches on a sensitive area — family fates, children’s safety, and the psychological state of families during the war. And therefore, any innovations must be accompanied by public explanations, clear communication and access to information for every citizen.
Parents who worry about their sons have the right to know: what it means to “be on the record”, what lies ahead, how to protect yourself in case of mistakes or inconsistencies. And it is to these requests that the state should respond not with technical releases, but with human language – in order to turn anxiety into awareness, and ignorance – into a conscious attitude to a new duty.
