Ukraine Approves Partial Mobilization as 'War-Time' Measure

Volunteers are called upon to join the newly-formed National Guard in Ukraine, which will now take part in the announced mobilization, Photo by EPA/BGNES

Ukrainian Parliament in Kiev has formally approved the partial mobilization of 40 000 reservists.

The move, which was initiated by a presidential decree, is in response to the "war-time" situation, as lawmakers described Crimea region's vote to join Russia.

Among the newly-mobilized forces, 20 000 will be gathered out of the reserve, and the other half will come from the recently formed National Guard.

According to Ukrainian English-language newspaper Kiyv Post, some USD 600 M have been approved for emergency military spending in a budget that does not exceed USD 50 B a year.

A press release from the Verkovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament)'s website cited by Russian agency Lenta.ru states that "illegally created armed pro-Russian units" are acting on Crimean soil and are barring access to a great number of strategic objects.

Mobilization procedures will comprise all of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea in case some of its citizens wish to willfully join.

Ukraine has vowed not to recognize the results of the referendum, which interim President Oleksandr Turchynov called "a great farce" which  "will never be recognised either by Ukraine or by the civilized world," as the BBC quoted him as saying.

The government in Kiev, which started work a few weeks ago, considers that Russia has staged a "takeover" of the Crimean peninsula after it ordered the sending of troops to the region and after armed men without insignia (but reportedly Russian) were stationed across its territory.

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