The appeal comes as Kiev ponders mobilization reform
Ukrainians who wish to help the country by volunteering should enlist in the military – and that includes women, lawmaker Mariana Bezuglaya from President Vladimir Zelensky’s ruling party ‘Servant of the People’ said on Tuesday.
In a Facebook post marking International Volunteer Day, Bezuglaya thanked everyone who had volunteered to help the Ukrainian military, but argued that 2024 was time for that to end.
“The duty of the state is to provide everything that’s needed; the duty of the citizens is to pay taxes for it. The best volunteering today is to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” she wrote.
“The people are the state; as the people, so the state,” she added.
Less than an hour later, responding to a torrent of comments, Bezuglaya doubled down.
“Dear mobilized servicemen, do you want new people to come to your unit? To strengthen you? To give you a rest?” she wrote. “That’s why I said the best volunteering for 2024 is to join the AFU. This also applies to women.”