After long hesitation

Kiev lowers conscription age by two years

In future, reservists will be able to be called up at the age of 25.(Bild: AP)

After much hesitation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has agreed that reservists can be called up from the age of 25. Previously the age was 27. Selenskyj had taken nine months to consider the decision.

This means that two more cohorts can be called up for the ongoing war with Russia. The corresponding entry was published on the parliament website on Tuesday. 

In future, reservists will be able to be called up at the age of 25.(Bild: AP)

The government has six months to implement the amendment once it has been published in the Official Gazette. Based on the birth rates at the end of the 1990s, a good 400,000 more men could then theoretically be called up for military service. At the same time, the decision on stricter mobilization rules is expected next week.

Selensky hesitated for a long time
Parliament had already passed the law on the reservist age in May last year. After being signed by parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, it was presented to Zelensky for signature in June. However, Zelensky claimed in December that he still needed weighty arguments to sign the bill. These concerns now appear to have been allayed.

Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for over two years. With the imposition of martial law, men of military age between 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country, with a few exceptions. However, so far only men of reservist age from 27 have been conscripted.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers needed
In view of the difficult situation at the front, Zelensky had stated the additional requirement for soldiers at up to 500,000 before the turn of the year. However, army chief Olexander Syrskyj recently stated that the figure was lower.