Zelensky signs law lowering army mobilization age from 27 to 25
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The bill on the age of enlistment had already been approved by Parliament a year ago.
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A Ukrainian officer observes the firing of a 152-mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 2S3, towards Russian positions at the frontline, near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, March 25, 2024 (AP)
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law reducing the country's military mobilization age from 27 to 25, as announced by the parliament on its website.
Zelensky signed a law reducing the age of mobilization from 27 years to 25 years pic.twitter.com/ducN2idBGN
— Dagny Taggart (@DagnyTaggart963) April 2, 2024
This comes as Ukraine is suffering significant losses on the frontlines with Russia. Ukrainian authorities have blamed the lack of Western support for the provision of crucial arms and weapons. A shortage in personnel has also been cited as a contributing factor to these losses.
Read more: Ukrainian army struggling with manpower shortage: WSJ
The bill on the age of enlistment had already been approved by Parliament a year ago. In February 2024, the parliament reaffirmed its support and took additional steps to formalize the implementation of the law.
On March 25, People's Deputy of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov announced that a revision in the law would call for Ukrainians as young as 19 to be mobilized.
Ukrainians are going to be mobilized from the age of 19
— Zlatti71 (@djuric_zlatko) March 26, 2024
This was announced by People's Deputy Razumkov with reference to the corresponding provision in the current version of the bill on strengthening mobilization
“It is written there: if a person completes basic military… pic.twitter.com/fwZXbHW2k2
Ukraine's army enlistment system has often been described as unjust, inefficient, and corrupt.
Recent months have also seen increasing calls to demobilize fighters who have been stationed on the frontlines for an extended period.
In December 2023, Zelensky announced that the army was considering mobilizing up to half a million troops.
On March 27, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Moscow has enough troops to fulfill its goals and there is no need for any further mobilization.
