Zelensky lowers the age of mobility from 27 to 25

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed a bill on Tuesday to lower the military conscription age from 27 to 25, citing a lack of men in the armed forces to counter Russian aggression. The bill, which was voted on by deputies a year ago and which until then was awaiting promulgation by the president, takes effect on Wednesday, the Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, indicated on its website. The Ukrainian government must then bring various regulatory texts into compliance with the new era of mobility within six months.

Discussion

Ukraine has been discussing military conscription for months. The Ukrainian military has suffered losses, the extent of which has been kept secret, and today, unlike at the start of the conflict, is struggling to find volunteers for the front. After the first draft prepared by the government was sent back for rewriting a few weeks ago, the Rada voted in February for a series of measures to facilitate consolidation at a first reading.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in December 2023 that the army had offered to mobilize up to 500,000 additional people, a number that was revised downward by the new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military, Oleksandr Sirskyi. The current recruitment system is considered unfair, inefficient and often corrupt by many Ukrainians. And those who have been at the front for a long time are also being called to demand demobilization.