My godchild, Eugen, the only son of my best friend, has been fighting on the front lines in the airborne assault troops almost since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is not yet 30 years old, has an excellent education, speaks fluent English and German, graduated from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, then studied at a German university, and later worked at an American company, managing a Ukrainian startup. But from the first days of the war, he went to the front. Now he skillfully operates drones and ensures our safety.

For the third year in a row, every single day, he has been on the front line. Like thousands of others, he was not prepared for this. He was supposed to live a normal life, form a family, raise his kids, travel, and enjoy going out with friends, like any normal young person in Europe. But when the war came, he voluntarily went to the front line. Now, three years into the war, almost without a day of leave, he feels abandoned by his country and exhausted. There is no rotation for men like him; no one is coming to substitute him or his fellows in their brigade. And there is no foreseeable end to his service.

There is no law in Ukraine that sets the terms of military service. In practice, this means that everyone who volunteered for the front is abandoned there indefinitely. Frozen in winter, under constant shelling, without rest, with no psychological help, and not even a single day to see their families. These are the conditions for the best young men who voluntarily rose to protect their country from invasion. They are abandoned by their country.

But there is a solution to their problem which the Ukrainian government resists resolving: the establishment of definite service terms. A petition on the President of Ukraine’s website quickly garnered 30,000 signatures asking to approve the law, but Mr. Zelensky has ignored it.

For the future generation of Ukrainians, men like Eugen, I ask you to sign the following petition.

The indefinite end dates of service and the lack of reasons for discharge after the established service term violate Article 24 and part 2 of Article 64 of the Constitution of Ukraine, as well as the general principles of fairness and equality before the law. According to Article 24 and part 2 of Article 64 of the Constitution, even under martial law, citizens are equal in their rights and, according to part 2 of Article 64, have the right to know the duration for which their other rights may be restricted.

I ask you to consider that the uncertainty of service terms is already a reason for the insufficient human capital in military formations, mass absences at Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers, and has resulted in unauthorized absences by some servicemen. Due to delays in making decisions on the establishment of service terms, most servicemen feel the government is treating them unfairly and not regarding them as full-fledged citizens of the country. 

When establishing service terms, it is also necessary to consider the places of military service: such a division will ensure the phased release of servicemen, with the possibility of supporting the front line, with minimal involvement on the front line and in the task execution area of those from training centers, which will allow them to integrate and adapt to positions in rear units. This will reduce corruption risks of occupying such rear positions due to regular rotations.

The right to discharge must be obtained after 36 months of continuous service with a recalculation of service days according to coefficients.
Service days are calculated as follows:
In the rear: 1 day for 1 day;
In the task execution area: 1 day for 2 days;
On the front line: 1 day for 3 days;

Our servicemen, who did not hesitate and did not wait for draft notices, were the first to defend the country, taking care of every person, every citizen, so that they can now live a full civilian life. Thanks to them, the people and government of Ukraine had the time and opportunity to prepare for a prolonged struggle for independence.

Now, after more than two years, it is time for the State and society to take care of them and replace them in this exhausting fight. Consider that they have given their health, time, and lives to support their country. Their families have existed without the right to happiness for more than 24 months, their children do not know what their fathers look like, and their parents hope to live long enough to see their loved ones again.

Considering the above and according to Article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine, the President of Ukraine, based on and in execution of the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, issues decrees and orders that are mandatory for execution on the territory of Ukraine. According to Article 93 of the Constitution of Ukraine, the right of legislative initiative belongs to the President, people's deputies, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and bills defined by the President of Ukraine as urgent are considered by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine out of turn. Therefore, I demand that the President initiate and submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a decree or bill to amend Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service" to include a provision for discharge due to the completion of established service terms of 36 months, with a recalculation of service terms according to the above proposed coefficients.

I request to provide the right to gradually release servicemen at their request; facilitate the rotation of servicemen from rear units to combat units; promote changes within the military environment: valuing warriors, ensuring their protection, and preserving the lives of servicemen; reduce the demoralization of our servicemen, who feel unfairness, uncertainty, and chronic fatigue; increase respect for military service among the civilian population; promote the mobilization of the population, allowing for the full development of the recruitment system in the military, which, in turn, will provide units and brigades with highly motivated servicemen; allow for the replacement of exhausted warriors, who have been in active combat for more than 24 months, without exposing the front line.