Certain spinal conditions are non-mobilizable: a list of diagnoses.

In Ukraine, martial law and general mobilization continue. However, not all citizens subject to military service are fit for duty due to health reasons.

This particularly applies to men with serious spine conditions. This is regulated by the order of the Ministry of Defense №262 dated April 27, 2024.

Conditions under which a man may be deemed unfit for military service include:

• Infectious arthropathies (M00-M15) – Reiter's disease, pyogenic arthritis, reactive arthropathies;
• Ankylosing spondylitis (M45);
• Inflammatory polyarthropathies (M05-M15) — Felty syndrome, Still's disease, rheumatoid bursitis, gout, crystalline arthropathies, seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid vasculitis, psoriatic and enteropathic arthropathies;
• Systemic connective tissue diseases (M30-M36) — systemic sclerosis, Behçet's disease, Sjögren's syndrome, Wegener's granulomatosis, Takayasu syndrome, polyarteritis nodosa and related conditions, necrotizing vasculopathies, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis;
• Spinal diseases (dorsopathies) and their consequences (M40-M54) – scoliosis, osteochondrosis of the spine, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, kyphosis and lordosis, intervertebral disc damage, other dorsopathies;
• Spinal fractures;
• Compression, swelling, rupture, concussion, and hemorrhage of the spinal cord;
• Progressive spinal tuberculosis;
• Active tuberculosis of the spine, joints, and bones.

Additionally, deferrals may be granted to individuals with the following conditions:

• Soft tissue diseases (M60-M79) — shoulder injuries, bursopathies, enthesopathies, diseases and injuries of muscles, synovial membranes, and tendons;
• Arthroses and other joint conditions (M15-M19, M22-M25) — gonarthrosis, coxarthrosis, polyarthrosis and other arthroses, patellar injuries, intra-articular injuries of the knee and other joints;
• Fibroblastic disorders (M72);
• Defects and deformities of the fingers of the feet and hands (S60-69, S90-99);
• Acquired limb deformities (T11, T13, T92, T93), as well as acquired flatfoot (M20-M21);
• Steopathies and chondropathies (M80-M94) — Paget's disease, osteomalacia in adults, fibrous dysplasia of bones, osteomyelitis, osteoporosis with or without pathological fractures, delayed fracture healing, stress fractures (excluding the spine), other osteochondropathies and cartilage damage.

Furthermore, a citizen with severe flatfoot or deformed limbs will not be mobilized.

It is important to note that to be exempted from mobilization, the conscript must undergo a medical examination by the military medical commission (VVK). The decision on unfitness for military service is based on the conclusions of medical specialists evaluating the severity of the illness and its impact on overall health.

Previously, "Telegraph" reported on whether individuals with poor hearing can be mobilized. The VVK may recognize a man as unfit in certain situations.