Ukrainian MP in the Verkhovna Rada from President Zelenskyy’s ruling Servant of the People party, Mariana Bezuglaya, appears to be the last legislator standing, still putting her efforts behind Ukraine’s legislative draft to greatly increase conscription to the military. She is also noted for her amendment to the draft to have women drafted. However, she reports that her own Facebook poll has 74% of men and 65% of women willing to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship before being drafted.
Yet another measure of the bizarre developments in Ukraine is that sources in Zelenskyy’s office, according to Forbes on Jan. 1, told them that Ukraine’s authorities are looking into exempting from the draft those who pay $157/month in federal taxes. On one level, it means that 85% of the population below that level (the equivalent of $10,500/year in reported income) are out of luck, while the upper 15% with over $10,500/year can avoid the frontlines.
Forbes said they had four separate sources in the unicameral Verkhovna Rada who confirmed the discussions.
