Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine‘s Armed Forces and current Ambassador to the United Kingdom, has expressed his opposition to the idea of mobilizing young adults aged 18-25 for military service. According to a report by Bukvy, this discussion has arisen due to a shortage of Ukrainian soldiers to counter the Russian aggression and the dissatisfaction of citizens with the military recruitment process, which has been accused of forcibly conscripting men on the streets. Currently, the conscription age in Ukraine is 25 years old.
During a meeting with Ukrainian students in London on 3 October, Zaluzhnyi stated that the age group between 18 and 25 represents the future of Ukraine and should only be called upon as a last resort. He emphasized the importance of protecting this age category as much as possible. Zaluzhnyi also mentioned that during his time as Commander-in-Chief, he consistently opposed lowering the mobilization age below 25, as he believed in preserving the future generations of Ukraine.
Zaluzhnyi also highlighted the difference in mentality between younger and older military personnel. He suggested that older soldiers often have a post-Soviet mindset, which can be challenging to work with. On the other hand, younger individuals may approach difficult tasks differently. Despite his reservations, Zaluzhnyi acknowledged that mobilizing young adults may become necessary if Ukraine’s existence as a state is threatened. He stated that in such a scenario, only young people aged 18-25 can save the country.
In April, President Zelenskyy signed a law reducing the maximum age for military conscription from 27 to 25 years in order to boost the army‘s ranks. He explained that this was necessary because young people are physically fitter and more adept at using modern technologies used in combat operations. However, some politicians, such as Roman Kostenko, have suggested taking “radical” steps, including further lowering the conscription age, to address the decline in mobilization levels. On the other hand, Defense Ministry spokesperson Dmytro Lazutkin has stated that lowering the mobilization age is currently unnecessary due to increased recruitment rates.
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