2024-04-22T20:58:00+03:00 Politics 2024-05-15T04:04:28+03:00

Ukrainian news

Zelenskyy explains why draft age was lowered from 27 to 25 years

Zelenskyy explains why draft age was lowered from 27 to 25 years

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has explained that the decrease in the draft age from 27 to 25 years is due to the fact that the Ukrainian army needs young fighters, who have a better physical condition and better understand modern technologies, since it is a "more modern war."

He spoke about this in an interview with the French media HugoDecrypte on April 21.

"There are relevant criteria and priorities for the age and physical condition of fighters who need to be trained and after that they are sent to the front. This request is from the military command. Showing the specific figures that they need in the Ukrainian army, you need to prepare brigades that will replace those who have been at the front for two years.

To do this, for it to be an adequate replacement, people need to train and be in serious physical condition. With all due respect to our soldiers, but we say that there is a difference between a 25-year-old warrior and a 50-year-old warrior. And that's a fact. There are different challenges, different wars and different technologies in different directions," he said.

According to Zelenskyy, young people are needed today, since it is "a more modern war." He noted that not only is the physical condition important, but people are needed who are oriented in technology.

"Drone operators, technology, cyber defense, etc. Besides what I said, physical condition. Drones, sea drones, etc. And in any case, we need to understand that the new generation, it navigates technology much faster. They understand that. And I will say frankly: they created all this with their own hands, their brains are the brains of young people. Therefore, this is also one of the reasons," the President explained.

He concluded that he signed the law voted by the parliament of Ukraine - this was done at the request of the military.

"As for what young people can expect. Young people protect their land as much as any person. All citizens of Ukraine have equal rights. Yes, mostly adults who are at war, they do it for the future of these children. But these young people, who are under 30, who can give technological progress to this war, can help - they are also fighting for their state, for their lives and for their future," Zelenskyy said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed law 9281 on lowering the maximum age of citizens on military registration of conscripts from 27 to 25 years.