Appeal to Ukrainian Servicemen

Presidium of the Ukrainian SSR Supreme Soviet, Appeal to Servicemen Performing Compulsory Service Who Are Citizens of the Ukrainian SSR. August 6, 1990

Invoking the Declaration of State Sovereignty, the Presidium of the Ukrainian legislature declared that Ukrainian conscripts serving in the Soviet armed forces should perform compulsory service “as a rule” on Ukrainian territory. It admitted that their resolutions were not yet directly applicable law, and asked servicemen to continue obeying orders and serve conscientiously until new rul.es arrived. The appeal captured a cautious move toward republican control of security while still affirming loyalty to the USSR

Original Source: «Звернення до військовослужбовців строкової служби — громадян Української РСР». Відомості Верховної Ради України (ВВР), 1991, № 38, ст. 502 (17 September 1991)

Dear fellow countrymen!

Comrade soldiers, sailors, sergeants, and petty officers!

The Ukrainian SSR Supreme Soviet adopted on 16 July this year a historic document, "The Declaration of the State Sovereignty of Ukraine." As a corollary of the provisions of this declaration, the Ukrainian SSR Supreme Soviet on 30 July 1990 adopted a resolution on the performance of compulsory military service by citizens of Ukraine and the employment of republican law-enforcement agency workers outside the republic.

These very important documents proclaim the need to resolve the question of the performance of compulsory military service by Ukrainian citizens, as a rule, on the territory of Ukraine, but do not have the force of directly applicable law.

In the very near future, the Ukrainian SSR Supreme Soviet will adopt a decision and laws which will precisely define the rights and duties of Ukrainian citizens in the defense of the Soviet Union and the procedure for the performance of military service and stop mothers worrying about their sons.

Pending the adoption of these decisions and laws we call upon you to discharge honestly and conscientiously your military duty in the subunits to which you are sent in the performance of service and to be worthy citizens of our cherished Ukraine.

Source: *Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Daily Report (U.S. Dept. of Commerce; National Technical Information Service, 1990