Cabinet Suggests Rada Reduce Conscription Age From 27 To 25 Years

The Cabinet of Ministers has suggested that the Verkhovna Rada reduce the maximum age of citizens on military registration of conscripts from 27 to 25 years of age. This is stated in bill No. 9281, registered with the Rada on May 9, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

It concerns amending the law On Military Duty and Military Service."

It is proposed to establish that for military service are called male citizens of Ukraine who are fit for health reasons, who are 18 years old by the day of departure to the military unit, and older persons who have not reached the age of 25 years and are not entitled to exemption or delay from conscription for military service.

The law now provides for conscription between the ages of 18 and 27.

The explanatory note to the bill notes that it was developed on the initiative of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense believes that at the moment, during the operation of the legal regime of martial law in the state, there is no need for citizens to stay on the military record of conscripts up to 27 years old.

It is noted that the need for their annual arrival in territorial recruitment and social support centers (military registration and enlistment offices), including for medical examinations, leads to additional financial costs, burden on medical workers and an increase in queues for passing the military medical commission, while conscription for military service during martial law is not carried out.

In addition, it is noted that the long stay on military records of conscripts during martial law leads to the fact that a significant number of citizens fit for military service who do not have the status of conscripts cannot be involved in conscription during mobilization.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Cabinet of Ministers stated that conscripts who have reached the age of 27 should arrive at draft sites for medical examination.

In October 2022, a law on the abolition of conscription during martial law came into force.

In December 2022, the Cabinet approved a new procedure for military registration. Conscripts from 16 to 27 years should be put on military registration (previously citizens aged 17 to 27 years were subject to military registration).

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted that during the general mobilization, the recruitment of vacant positions in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations is carried out at the expense of military and reservists.