The term ended up in the spotlight as MPs in Kiev are reviewing controversial measures to call up more soldiers to fight Russia
The word ‘mobilization’ has been declared the word of the year amid Kiev’s attempts to replenish battlefield losses and its plans to call up an additional 500,000 conscripts, according to a Ukrainian web dictionary MySlovo.
In a post published on Friday, the lexicon said that the choice hinged on the word being “at the center of public debate” fueled by a “controversial mobilization bill” submitted to the parliament in late December.
The legislation in question proposes lowering the mobilization age from 27 to 25, eliminating exemptions for some categories of disabled people as well as introducing harsher measures against draft dodgers.
MySlovo also noted that ‘mobilization’ had taken the lead over the word ‘counteroffensive’ – a reference to Kiev’s much-hyped push that started in early summer but failed to gain substantial ground. The authors of the post also pointed out that the latter word “unfortunately received far more media support than logistics and, as a result, brought more frustration than visible results.”
Another counteroffensive-related collocation on the list was ‘Summer in Crimea,’ an allusion to comments by Kirill Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence. The official promised on several occasions that Kiev would seize the Russian peninsula, but it did not come to pass.
Other notable mentions also harked back in one way or another to the ongoing hostilities, including ‘draft dodger,’ ‘positional war,’ and ‘drone.’ A collocation, ‘eggs for 17 hryvnias ($0.45) each,’ also made it to the list, an apparent reference to a corruption scandal in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, which allegedly procured various foodstuffs at exorbitant prices.
The word ‘blockade’ also proved to be quite popular both in the context of Russia’s naval operations on the Black Sea and Polish haulers and farmers’ protests on the border between the two states. The latter have opposed EU regulations they felt gave unfair advantages to their Ukrainian counterparts.
The only word not directly associated with the conflict was ‘AI’ (artificial intelligence), although the dictionary suggested that its presence was “related to the integration of AI into military systems.”
Ukraine announced mobilization in February 2022 shortly after the start of the conflict with Russia, with the recruitment drive marred by corruption and draft dodging. However, during its counteroffensive, Kiev started actively mulling new measures to call up more soldiers in mid-2023. According to Moscow, Ukraine has lost around 160,000 troops since the start of the botched push in early June.
Italian police worry about radicalization among Muslims in Rome and elsewhere
Italian security services are monitoring 53 “unofficial” Muslim prayer sites in Rome, concerned about radicalization and terrorism, according to a news report.
Improvised prayer spaces have proliferated as the number of Muslim immigrants in the Italian capital grew, opening up in warehouses, garages, apartments, and basements. The authorities tolerate them, even though some are technically illegal.
“These hidden places of worship are where radicalization lurks and where, camouflaged among the faithful, those lone wolves who have too often become martyrs of the holy war hide,” the newspaper ll Tempo said on Friday.
The number of underground mosques under surveillance has nearly doubled from 30 a decade ago, the newspaper noted, citing a report by the Italian Interior Ministry.
The total number of unregistered places of worship may be over 100, according to the outlet, which described Rome as “increasingly the capital of Islam.”
The situation does not appear to be limited to Rome. Undercover journalists from the news program Fuori dal Coro recently visited some of the underground mosques in Milan, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, producing a documentary titled “Immigrants and Violence, The Muslims Who Hate Italy.”
One of the men, described as a “radical Islamist,” said it is written in the Quran that the Muslims will “kick out the Jews.” He also believes that Muslims will soon conquer the West, starting with Italy because it “has a good heart” and is “very close to Islam.”
“Just look at the churches, a few elderly people, five here, five there,” the man told reporters.
The native-born population of Italy has been getting older – in 2023, the median age was 47.7 – and the country’s total fertility rate was just 1.3. Italy has also been one of the major points of entry for immigrants headed to the EU from Africa and Asia, many from Muslim-majority countries.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni campaigned on a promise of cracking down on migration, but has since fully embraced the EU policy that effectively encourages asylum seekers.
Earlier this month, Italian police detained a suspected member of Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K or ISPK) terrorist group on his way from the Netherlands. Ilkhomi Sayrakhmonzoda, a national of Tajikistan, was wanted by Interpol for suspected involvement in the planning of terrorist attacks in the EU.
ISIS-K claimed responsibility for last month’s terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue outside Moscow. Nationals of Tajikistan made up most of the suspects arrested by the Russian authorities, who are also investigating Ukraine’s potential involvement.
