UKRAINE: high court affirmed the right to CO, president makes changes in conscription

In the trial of Vitaliy Shalaiko, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Ukraine’s high court has affirmed the right of conscientious objectors to refuse to be drafted to the army even in times of war. COs will be allowed to do alternative service instead of being drafted. Also in the Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko has declared that the age of conscription will be increased from 18 to 20, and that the conscripts will not be required to fight in Anti-Terrorist Operation zones. He added that the army would move towards having more contracted soldiers.  

Sources: 
Interfax-UKRAINE, Military conscription to be preserved, draftee's age to be increased to 20 – Poroshenko, 21 September 2015
jw.org notifier, High Court of Ukraine Upholds Right to Conscientious Objection During Military Mobilization, 28 AUGUST 2015