Extended Mobilization: The Key to Ukraine’s Defense? | iRADIO

Rahmar is a paramedic with the 72nd Assault Brigade, which is a special operations unit. We meet in one of the often shelled towns of the Donetsk region.

“Our assault unit is capturing the position of the enemy who is coming into our territory. I am a permanent part of this group. We all go into the attack together, my task is to provide first aid to the wounded and evacuate them from the battlefield. But I also struggle with it like everyone else,” he says.

Rahmar joined the special forces immediately after the beginning of the Russian invasion, his unit was the first to enter the liberated Kherson, and now they are all here, at the front in the Donetsk region.

“The situation is too difficult. The enemy uses a colossal number of gliding aerial bombs weighing 500, 1000 and 1500 kilograms. Such a bomb is capable of literally wiping out our positions. The situation is now much more difficult also because of FPV drones, which are largely unpredictable and often cause injuries to our brothers in arms,” ​​he describes.

FPV translates to “First Person View”. According to Rahmar, the Ukrainian army would need more of these weapons, equipped not only with ammunition but also with a camera.

“They are our eyes. This continuous support from the air is irreplaceable and FPV drones can save a lot of lives. Of course, we need trained specialists for them. The war is completely different now than it was in 2014. It’s not so land-based anymore – now it’s a war of technology, air force and drones,” he says.

Politicians should not procrastinate with widespread mobilization, believes Rahmar.

“If there is no further mobilization, there will be no rotations and we will not be able to supplement and change the positions on the front. People are physically tired and mentally burnt out. A long-term stay at the zero line entails enormous health consequences. But I think that only those people who want to do it should mobilize. We don’t need those who don’t want to be at the front. He can’t do combat tasks because he has no motivation. Only one who understands that the fate of the country depends on his decision will be an effective soldier. One that I would like to see next to me and with whom I will fight side by side,” he adds.

‘Mobilization is not necessary’

One of them is Ivan, who joined the army voluntarily and serves as a driver in a special unit and also participates in attacks as needed. But he has a slightly different opinion on mobilization:

“I think that additional mobilization is not necessary. They should call the police from the special forces. But they don’t really want to. They have nothing to do now, they are sitting nice in the warmth of the office and their pants are already pulled up the back from that session. All this at the expense of taxpayers. We certainly don’t need so many policemen now,” he thinks.

Even another Ukrainian soldier, Karel, does not agree with the fact that members of the military administrations drive people through the streets to join the army.

“We don’t need mobilization in a violent way, as we sometimes see it. People should realize for themselves that there is a war and that they should help their country. And they should understand that it’s really hard for those who have been on the front for more than two years – physically, mentally and morally,” he appeals.

But the new mobilization law is still in parliament and three thousand amendments have been submitted to it.

Martin Dorazin

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