Ukraine’s radical mobilization measures take aim at young men

MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Ukraine’s possible lowering of the conscription age to 18 puts a target directly on the backs of its young men, a source in the pro-Russian underground told TASS.

"Currently, men aged 25 to 60 are drafted. According to our information, the Kiev regime will first take aim at the lower age limit. The most likely option currently being considered is to lower the threshold from 25 to 21 years of age. However, if they aren't able to recruit enough people they will lower it to 18 years. There is also talk about lowering the upper limit to 50-55 years. This will most likely be considered to cushion the negative consequences of reducing the lower conscription threshold. In any case, the young will definitely be the first to fill the resulting gap," the source said.

The source said that discussions about radical mobilization measures have been ongoing since 2024, "when the flow of people willing to give their lives for the corrupt Kiev authorities dropped sharply. At that time, for the first time, the lower age limit was cut from 27 to 25. What do we see today? [Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail] Fyodorov, whom everyone has forgotten except for himself, has not resolved the issue of mobilization. All his financial initiatives aimed at attracting manpower have failed. Now, this issue is being addressed with renewed vigor by [Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevgeny] Khmara, together with [Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Mikhail] Drapaty, and they are taking a different approach. It’s not about persuading the people, but about expanding the conscription range," the source said.

Earlier, Roman Kostenko, secretary of the Verkhovnaya Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, announced the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s plans to introduce radical mobilization measures.