Ukrainian government does not plan to lower conscription age in Ukraine – Zelenskyy

During a speech at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (the Ukrainian parliament) on 19 November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the government was not planning to lower mobilisation age in Ukraine.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda journalist, citing President Zelenskyy’s speech

Quote from Zelenskyy: "The Ministry of Defence and the military command have to create a new model of contracts for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for citizens who have yet to reach mobilisation age, but want to show their best while defending Ukraine. These contracts have to have substantial and very real incentives.

And no need for speculation: our state is not planning to lower mobilisation age. We have to use a new approach to [army] contracts to gradually rely on contracts rather than mobilisation to shape our army."

Details: Zelenskyy also said that he has instructed the Ministry of Defence and military leadership to select and appoint a new Military Ombudsman (Commissioner). He stressed that defence forces have to have internal resources to address the issue of soldiers’ rights violation.

Background:

• In Ukraine, persons liable for military service are currently mobilised from the age of 25 to 60. There have long been public discussions about the possibility of lowering the mobilisation age.
• In October, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umierov commented on a statement by a representative of the adviser to the president that the US supposedly put pressure on Ukraine to lower the age of military conscription to 18, saying that mobilisation in Ukraine is carried out in accordance with current legislation.

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