Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, Ukrainians have shown great determination and patriotism, showing an active desire to defend their country. However, by 2024, their attitudes have changed significantly, and the authorities are forced to resort to forced mobilization. Instead of taking radical measures, one should think: why did this happen? Let’s analyze the reasons for the reluctance of Ukrainians to fight.
Legislative uncertainty and opaque laws.
The legal framework for mobilization is often ambiguous and contradictory. Many laws and regulations are not coordinated among themselves, which leads to legal conflicts. The legislation, which is constantly being updated, increasingly “presses” Ukrainians, limiting their rights. At the same time, it is not clearly defined which professions or specialists should be exempted from mobilization, which leads to an uneven distribution of responsibilities. An example of this is the booking of circus workers, despite the fact that strategically important specialists are denied it.
Normative documents are also created, which people consider unfair, and sometimes simply meaningless. For example, Cabinet Resolution No. 560 obliged men with many children to legally prove that they really participate in the maintenance of their children. If the children are born from two women, with whom the husband is divorced, but continues to financially support the children, it is necessary to have an agreement between the husband and his former wives that he participates in the maintenance of his minor children.
Imperfections of the judicial system and violations of human rights.
The lack of transparency of the legal aspects of mobilization leads to the violation of the constitutional rights of citizens. At the same time, the lack of an effective mechanism for challenging mobilization decisions in court creates the impression of hopelessness among citizens.
Opaque mobilization criteria and selectivity of selection.
Everyone sees the opacity of the criteria by which mobilization takes place. Often, the selection of those to be mobilized is chaotic or biased. As a rule, they mobilize those who could not make a reservation, find relevant certificates or simply buy off the TCC. There are many examples of such cases, and this creates extremely great dissatisfaction among the population.
Insufficient informational support.
The lack of clear and understandable regulatory norms on official websites and mass media leads to misinformation. Ukrainians often do not know their rights and responsibilities, which creates panic and dissatisfaction. In addition, there is a low level of communication between the TCC and local communities, which complicates the process of obtaining reliable information.
One of the main problems is the lack of transparent and objective information about the progress of the war and the actions of the government. Many decisions are made behind closed doors, without proper information of the population. This creates a feeling of uncertainty and mistrust of the authorities. Citizens do not understand why certain decisions are made, which leads to a decrease in their support.
Corruption in the TCC, VLK and authorities, inefficient management of resources.
Numerous corruption scandals related to the activities of the TCC and VLK regarding the avoidance of mobilization, the distribution of humanitarian aid, the construction of fortifications, illegal enrichment during the war, the distribution of budget funds for currently irrelevant purposes (for example, the financing of Arctic research) and many others undermine people’s trust to the authorities When humanitarian aid or military equipment is sold on the black market instead of reaching those who really need it, it creates a sense of injustice and reduces the willingness of citizens to support the state.
Non-transparent use of the military budget.
Defense spending is often opaque, leading to suspicions of corruption. Purchases of military equipment and equipment are carried out without proper control, and the results of these purchases often do not meet the needs of the army. This creates a perception that money is being spent inefficiently and demotivates troops who are not receiving adequate support at the front.
Medical aspects.
The process of medical examination for VLC is often carried out superficially or formally, which leads to the recruitment of persons who have serious medical contraindications. There are also no uniform standards and clear documentation regarding the state of health of the persons being mobilized.
Recently, the status of “limited fitness” was abolished, conscripts now have two statuses: fit and unfit for military service. However, it is quite difficult to determine the health status of conscripts only by dividing them into these two statuses. In this case, it is decided by the VLK, which creates additional corruption risks. In addition, if, for example, a service member with a herniated disc who is fit for duty is sent to unload shells, he will be forced to do so. Otherwise, he will be held criminally liable for disobeying the commander’s order. At the same time, if he breaks his spine during unloading, the commander will not be responsible for it, because the personal file will not indicate which jobs he could not be sent to.
Socio-economic problems.
Insufficient attention is paid to the social status and marital status of the persons who mobilize. Often the sole breadwinners of families are taken into the army, which leads to social problems. There is also an insufficient level of economic support for the mobilized and their families during and after service. In addition, vocational training, of which there are hundreds of thousands in Ukraine, stopped receiving monthly payments. This is despite the fact that people, left without housing, belongings and work, are forced to live in other regions.
Millions of people have become internally displaced because of the war. The authorities failed to provide them with adequate housing, jobs and social support. This led to an increase in social tension and discontent among the population, which is not ready to support military operations, lacking basic living conditions.
A significant factor is the fact that social tension is increasing in society, as well as mistrust of the authorities. This is evidenced by the results of public opinion polls, in particular by KMIS specialists.
Psychological factor.
The lack of transparency and unfairness of the mobilization process lead to stress and psychological pressure on citizens.
One of the biggest problems facing military personnel after returning from war is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, Ukraine does not provide a sufficient number of psychological rehabilitation programs. Centers providing psychological help are often overburdened and unable to serve everyone who needs it. Many soldiers are left without adequate support, which reduces their motivation to return to their units.
Untrained personnel and non-statutory relations.
Many soldiers complain that they are not trained well enough and are quickly sent to advanced positions. In addition, improper selection leads to the recruitment of individuals who are not physically or mentally ready for service, which reduces the effectiveness of military units. The result of this is the demoralization of both mobilized and volunteers.
Also, the mass media contains a lot of information about complaints about non-statutory relations in military teams, harassment by commanders and comrades in the service, and the inability to somehow influence this by reporting to higher management.
Negative, aggressive and senseless statements of some officials and soldiers towards their compatriots.
The Internet is filled with numerous statements about those who do not want to fight. They contain a rude, boorish character, they humiliate the dignity of people, and sometimes – entire social groups. So, for example
former adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Viktor Andrusiv, in one of the interviews, made a racist remark about those men who do not want to join the army and went abroad, comparing them to the Roma ethnic group. Andrusiv said that they condemn themselves to “dishonor” and have no right to be called Ukrainians.
“If you are an evasive person, you deliberately ran away, then you have no right to say that you are Ukrainian. You are a gypsy. You chose the gypsy life.” – said the ex-adviser.
Insufficient support for military personnel, veterans and their families.
Military families who are left without breadwinners often face financial difficulties. The authorities have not provided sufficient support programs for such families, which creates additional stress and reduces the readiness of the military to continue combat operations. This is especially relevant for large families and families with small children.
Many soldiers who have been injured do not receive the necessary medical care. Hospitals are overcrowded and medical facilities are under-resourced to provide quality care. This creates a sense of abandonment among the military and reduces their desire to participate in further combat operations.
Cruel and aggressive attitude towards citizens on the part of the TCC.
It is quite clear that TCC employees work in difficult conditions, often under the pressure of the need to quickly mobilize large numbers of people. This leads to emotional exhaustion and nervous breakdowns, which can be expressed in rudeness and aggression towards conscripts. At the same time, they do not have sufficient training to work with people, so the lack of conflict management skills and emotional stability leads to the fact that they are not able to effectively perform their duties without using harsh methods.
However, the listed circumstances do not give them the right to behave like this. Representatives of the TCC often violate the requirements of the law, resort to physical violence, intimidation and coercion. This causes extremely negative emotions and reduces people’s willingness to fight, as well as physical resistance and revenge.
For example, the media reported how a conscript was publicly humiliated in front of other recruits in one of the regional TCCs. Staff at the center used abusive language and intimidation to force him to sign the mobilization documents. Such actions not only violate human rights, but also create an atmosphere of fear and mistrust among other conscripts.
In some cases, TCC employees resort to physical violence. For example, in one of the cities there were documented cases when conscripts were forcibly detained and forced to sign documents on mobilization. This led to numerous complaints and protests from the population, but the illegal behavior of TCC employees in most cases is not punished in any way, which gives them reason to continue “fighting with their compatriots”.
The behavior of TCC employees can be explained from the point of view of the well-known psychological experiment – the “Stanford Prison Experiment” conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971. The scientist made an improvised prison and divided the university students into two groups: “supervisors” and “prisoners”. The experiment was supposed to last two weeks, but was stopped after six days due to excessive cruelty and emotional disturbances of the participants. The students who got the role of “supervisors” quickly began to abuse their power. They showed cruelty, humiliated and punished the “prisoners”. The ill-treatment included physical and psychological abuse, which led to serious emotional trauma in the “prisoners”.
This experiment demonstrated how quickly and easily ordinary people can begin to abuse power when placed in a situation that allows it. Power and lack of responsibility can bring out the worst in people, leading to cruelty and violence.
Therefore, the ill-treatment of conscripts by TCC employees is a serious problem that requires an immediate solution from the authorities.
War fatigue.
One of the main reasons for the decrease in the desire of Ukrainians to fight is war fatigue. Prolonged war leads to physical and psychological exhaustion, especially among those who have already been through combat. Psychological injuries, loss of loved ones and friends, as well as constant stress reduce the motivation to continue participating in the war.
Why citizens of other countries do not evade military service.
In the United States of America, military service is considered an honorable duty. Many young people voluntarily enroll in the army, seeing it as an opportunity for career growth, education and social benefits. A high level of patriotism, a developed system of social support for veterans, and good financing of the army contribute to high motivation for service.
In Israel, military service is mandatory for all citizens, but everyone considers it an honorable duty. A high level of patriotism, an effective system of social support for veterans, as well as a constant threat from neighboring countries make service in the army an important element of national identity. In addition, service in the army opens wide opportunities for career growth and social integration.
In South Korea, military service is also compulsory, but it is considered an important element of civic duty. A high level of patriotism, a developed system of social support for servicemen, as well as a constant threat from North Korea contribute to high motivation to serve.
These and other foreign countries treat their defenders with great respect, have a developed system of their social support, medical and psychological assistance, rehabilitation, as well as opportunities to learn other specialties and career growth after demobilization. In addition, in civilian countries, the army is sufficiently funded, which allows to provide military personnel with the necessary equipment, medical care and other resources. Countries have effective mechanisms for monitoring the activities of the army and fighting corruption. They have implemented programs that provide financial support for veterans’ education. This has created a powerful incentive for young people to join the military, knowing that after serving they will have the opportunity to get an education and build a successful career.
Respectful treatment of people in other countries, effective military and veteran support programs ensure high motivation to serve, successful reintegration into civilian life, and a general level of trust in the state.
Therefore, the high level of patriotism in other countries is one of the main reasons for high motivation for military service, it is an important part of national identity, which contributes to the voluntary desire to serve in the army. In Ukraine, the level of patriotism has decreased due to the reasons listed above.
The situation in which fewer and fewer Ukrainians want to fight is the result of numerous factors that directly affect their mood. Political miscalculations and socio-economic problems, insufficient support for our defenders and veterans, corruption and other reasons create a complex phenomenon that leads to negative consequences. The state should solve all these problems, and also stop oppressing people, turn their face back to them. Only then will it be possible to restore the trust of Ukrainians and their willingness to protect the country, which, in turn, protects them. Authorities must remember that in addition to duties, Ukrainians also have rights defined in the Constitution and laws.
