Ukrainian President to Sign Decree on New Wave of Mobilization on Jan. 14

KIEV, January 13 (Sputnik) — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Tuesday he will sign a decree authorizing a new wave of mobilization in the crisis-hit country on January 14, according to a post on his official website.

"Tomorrow, I will sign a decree on the next wave of mobilization. I am certain that the Ukrainian people will support this decision and the mobilization will be carried out successfully," Poroshenko said.

According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the mobilization is expected to begin on January 20, and will be held in three stages. Ukraine plans to bolster its military by calling up some 50,000 people during the new wave of mobilization.

According the announcement of Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov on December 20, recruits will serve for a year and a half and the minimum age limit will be raised from 18 to 20. On the same day, President Poroshenko proposed that soldiers doing compulsory service not be sent to combat zones in southeastern Ukraine.

In 2014 several waves of mobilization were conducted in Ukraine, with a focus on reservists. Officers under 45 and soldiers under 40 were called up.

A military operation in Ukraine's southeastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk has been conducted by Kiev authorities since April. Residents of the regions established so-called people's republics and declared their independence following a February coup in Kiev.