On 18 May, new rules for serving summonses came into force. Find out more about who can serve summonses under the new law, how to act after receiving them, in what cases you can refuse a summons, and what a "demand" to come to the TAC is

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A new law on mobilisation has come into force in Ukraine on 18 May 2024. According to it, the rules of serving summonses are changed in the state. What types of subpoenas exist, who can serve it and what to do after receiving it? We find out further.

What are the types of subpoenas?

Currently, the following types of subpoenas are approved in Ukraine:

- Summons on clarification of data - it is provided to update information about citizens, including changes in their personal data. This does not necessarily mean mobilization, but rather is a procedure of maintaining up-to-date information about citizens for the formation of a mobilization reserve.

- Summons for passing the military medical commission - this summons summons citizens to a medical examination by the military medical commission. The purpose of the commission is to determine the suitability of citizens for military service and to assess their physical and psychological condition. The results of the commission can be used for further conscription for military service or the formation of a mobilization reserve.

- Mobilization order, or "combat summons" is a summons that summons citizens to immediate conscription for military service in connection with mobilization. This is a serious order that requires citizens to appear at the specified place and time for immediate entry into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Who can serve a summons on a conscript?

According to the new mobilization law, the following have the right to serve a summons:

- Representatives of the TCC;

- Representatives of local self-government bodies;

- Heads of educational institutions;

- Managers of multi-apartment buildings (houses and condominiums);

- Heads of organizations, enterprises and institutions where conscripts work. We talked in more detail about the procedure for serving summonses at work in this article.

They cannot serve a summons: police representatives, military personnel, and border guards.

Where can a summons be served?

The law does not specify the place where the summons must be served, so in fact it can be issued anywhere. For example, at the place of residence of the conscript, at the place of study, work, on the streets, bus stops, roadblocks, public places, etc.

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Summons by post

Starting from 18 July, citizens can receive calls for service in the mailbox at their place of registration. 

Please note that such a call-up will be considered confirmed if it is recorded that the person liable for military service refused to receive it or is not present at the address of residence.

The summons may be sent by post after the expiry of the 60 days allotted by law for clarifying your credentials, in particular, your address of residence. If the address is not updated within this period, the summons will be sent to the registered or declared place of residence. 

The proper confirmation of notification when sending a summons by post is

- the day of receipt of such mail by the person, which is confirmed by information and/or documents from the postal operator;

- the day the postal message is marked with a refusal to receive the postal item or the day the person is marked as absent at the address of the person's residence, which was reported by the person to the TCC when specifying his/her credentials;

- the day of marking in the mail message of refusal to receive the mail or the day of marking the absence of the person at the address of the declared/registered place of residence in accordance with the procedure established by law, unless the person has notified the TCC of another address of residence.

It should be noted that the day of appearance upon the call of a reservist or person liable for military service is determined not earlier than the fourteenth day from the date of sending the summons by postal means by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt.

What to do after receiving a summons?

When receiving the summons, pay attention to its content and appearance, it should contain the following information:

- the address of the TCC (territorial picking center) to which you need to appear;

- specific date and time of arrival;

- data of the person who is invited to the military commissariat.

With the summons, you go home and already there prepare for a visit to the TCC at the specified time.

The list of documents that must be carried when going to the military commissariat: passport, military ID (temporary ID), record and service card and mobilization summons.

If you have reasons for postponement, you should also take the relevant documents with you.

After appearing at the military commissariat, a potential conscript is sent to undergo a military medical commission to determine his degree of suitability. At the end of the commission, the person is recognized as suitable or unsuitable.

When is it possible not to appear at the military commissariat?

There are only a few reasons for not appearing at the Military Commissariat:

- disease,

- caring for a sick relative or the death of relatives,

- disaster,

- taking university entrance exams.

In other cases, non-appearance at the Military Commissariat is subject to liability – first administrative, and then criminal.

What is a claim and when can it be sent?

From 18 May 2024, in addition to the summonses, an additional document - a request to come to the TCC - was also introduced.

If a conscript has ignored the summons, the TCC may apply to the police for administrative detention and delivery of such a person to the Military Commissariat.

For 5 days, the police are looking for a person, if they are unable to find a conscript, the TCC sends such a person by registered letter a request to appear at the military commissariat.

The request will be considered delivered when the post office employee puts a signature of receipt by the addressee, or a mark that the addressee refused to receive the document or it cannot be delivered at the place of registration.

If a citizen voluntarily does not appear before the TCC within 10 calendar days from the date of delivery of the request, he may be deprived of the right to drive a car for the period until the TCC's request is fulfilled.

We remind you that according to the new Law No. 10449 on strengthening mobilisation, all conscripts, persons liable for military duty and reservists, in 60 days from the date of entry into force of the law, must report to the TCC, CNAP or use the electronic cabinet and update their personal data.

Who needs to update military registration data in the TCC and how to do it, read here. Procedure for updating data for conscripts who are abroad at the link.

About new fines for violation of mobilization measures in this article.

Who has the right to check men's documents?

As of 18 May 2024, police and TCC representatives have been given the right to demand military registration documents from men aged 18-60 along with identity documents. That is, citizens must have a military ID card for the period of martial law.

We remind you! According to the mobilization law there will be no more people with limited fitness, so many conscripts will have to go through the VLK again.

We talked about the peculiarities of the procedure for registration of disability abroad earlier.