On Wednesday, the United States asked Ukraine to consider lowering the military service age for soldiers to 18. This information was reported by Reuters, citing a senior US government official.
Let us recall that in April of this year, Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law lowering the military draft age from 27 to 25. Comments on the new proposals put forward by Kiev's biggest ally included, among other things: Ukrainian officer.
War in Ukraine. An 18-year-old on the front line?
According to Andriy Krivushchenko, the meaning of fighting the occupier is not only to carry out military operations to maintain one's status or not lose territory, but also to “defend the state.” “We cannot send our entire population to the front lines without missing out on the people we need to protect and save,” he said.
An officer of the operational planning and combat department of the Svoboda battalion pointed out that after the end of the war, Ukraine will need to rebuild in some way, and young people will be able to help with this.
“We will also need young, bright people who are currently in training, who will learn, who will become experts, who will effectively lift our country from its knees after more than a decade of difficult struggle for independence.” Krivushchenko said, referring to the events of 2014. On the Maidan. As he emphasized, it will be necessary not only to rebuild the economy but also to rebuild society.
“Therefore, I see no reason to rush the mobilization of 18-year-olds,” he pointed out.
Mobilization in Ukraine. Military analysts skeptical of US proposal
Military analyst Denis Popovich also commented on the US proposal to lower the draft age for Ukrainian citizens, expressing a position different from that presented by the general. Citing data available to the military, he stressed the need for young people on the front lines.
– Men over the age of 45, not to mention many men over the age of 50 on the front lines, are physically unable to fully perform the tasks assigned to infantry. Popovich also emphasized that the burden of fighting in the field falls on the infantry, which among other things: About transporting heavy machinery.
The military analyst also pointed out that there is a difference in the physical fitness of people aged 20 to 25 and those over 40, which they are “well aware of.” Additionally, there are chronic illnesses.
Popovich said the U.S.'s proposed recruitment age of 18 is “probably too young.” – 20-22 years old, 25 years old – then a person has a completely different consciousness. Unless you want to volunteer to go to war at 18, it's a different story. However, he said there was a good chance that this alone would not be enough to mobilize.
The analyst also said whether more young people will go to the front than the law recently signed by President Zelenskiy envisages depends on how long the war lasts. – If the war lasts another year, two, three years, we will all be mobilized in some way. We need to prepare for this, Popovich said.
“Better Poland”. Expert in public consultation on health education/Polsat News/Polsat News
