Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law three measures aimed at replenishing the country’s exhausted and battered army. These measures include lowering the age when men become eligible for conscription and eliminating some medical exemptions. The decision to move ahead with these changes comes as Russia’s forces have been on the offensive along the front line, leading to a decrease in Ukraine’s supplies of soldiers and weapons.
While Ukraine’s Parliament has been debating a more sweeping overhaul of conscription for months, calling up more men has become an issue that no politician or military leader wants to be associated with. President Zelensky had delayed signing the bill lowering the draft age for nearly a year. The country’s army of about one million soldiers is currently fighting the largest war in Europe since World War II, facing high casualty rates and a shortage of volunteers.
The newly signed measures lower the draft eligibility age to 25 from 27, eliminate a category of medical exemption known as “partially eligible,” and create an electronic database of men in Ukraine starting at age 17. Military recruitment offices are now authorized to begin drafting younger men, with Ukrainian generals warning of a possible Russian offensive in the near future. The comprehensive mobilization bill, which has not yet passed in Parliament, envisions three months of training for soldiers drafted during wartime.
The overhaul of mobilization rules in Ukraine has faced challenges, with the Parliament withdrawing a draft law on mobilization in January, only to reintroduce it with over 4,000 amendments. The country’s draft age, although lowered, is still relatively high compared to other nations. Men and women can volunteer for military service starting at age 18, with Mr. Zelensky stating that he does not intend to conscript women into the military, although women with medical educations are required to register for the draft.
Ukraine’s mobilization plans have had to consider military, economic, and demographic factors. Lowering the draft age may bring more and healthier soldiers to the fight but could pose long-term risks for sustaining Ukraine’s population, given the country’s demographics. The country’s low birth rates in the 1990s have resulted in a small generation of 20-year-olds, with three times as many men in their 40s as in their 20s. Drafting men starting at age 25 could further diminish this small generation and potentially impact future birth rates.
In order to maximize its efforts, Ukraine plans to replenish its army through mobilization while keeping Russia off balance with sabotage missions behind enemy lines and long-range drone strikes. Military analysts suggest that with a new influx of American weapons, Ukraine may be able to hold its existing front lines this year, but risks falling back without it. The country’s leaders must carefully navigate these challenges to ensure the security and stability of Ukraine in the face of ongoing conflict.
