Lowering conscription age will help Ukrainian forces, but Western weapon supplies are decisive – ISW

Lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25 will support the Ukrainian army's ability to restore and reconstitute existing units and form new ones. However, Western assistance is crucial to properly equip all conscripts.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Military analysts have noted that lowering the conscription age is one of the measures that Ukraine has been considering as part of its efforts to build a sustainable wartime force generation apparatus.

However, Ukraine will need to arm all conscripts, and the ongoing debate in the US over military aid to Ukraine and delays in Western aid could affect the speed at which Ukraine can restore degraded units and form new ones.

The ISW assessment indicates that Western-supplied materiel remains the most critical factor for the Ukrainian forces' ability to restore and build up their combat power.

Background: On 2 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed legislation to reduce the age limit of conscripts eligible for mobilisation from 27 to 25 years. The Ukrainian parliament approved the law in May 2023, and it will come into force on 3 April 2024.

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